I survived the September of Short Adventures

Asshat Paladin’s A September of Short Adventures

SoSA was challenging but a good time. I’m not overly impressed with a few of my entries. Time slipped a way occasionally and I had to hammer out an idea quickly to make the post rate. Some of those “quickies” also became cool ideas I’d like to explore further.

/Matt has posted a list of entries by blog you might find helpful and plans to add a list by system as well. With the dawning of October, I can take some time to read through all of the excellent contributions.

My Entries

1. Horse Thief: A Boot Hill Adventure set in Colorado Territory
2. Besieged: A Zombie D6 Scenario set in Meadows Sanctuary
3. Daring Heist: A Boot Hill Adventure set in Colorado Territory
4. Death Gift: A Labyrinth Lord Adventure
5. Down for the Count: A Short Labyrinth Lord Adventure
6. Derailed: A Boot Hill Short Adventure
7. Rumblings of Pinnacle Peak: A Labyrinth Lord Adventure
8. Fly Trap: A Short Top Secret/Systemless Adventure
9. Stepping Stones: A Short Labyrinth Lord Adventure
10. KP Duty in the Dungeon: A Short Labyrinth Lord Adventure
11. Parasitic Horror: A Labyrinth Lord Short Adventure
12. Crooked Creek Tomes and Scrolls: A Short Labyrinth Lord Adventure
13. Fouled Fountains: A Short Labyrinth Lord Adventure
14. The Banshee of Beacon Hill: A Short Labyrinth Lord Adventure
15. You Aren’t If You Are Eaten: A Weird West Adventure
16. Swindler Soapy Smith: A Boot Hill Adventure in Colorado Territory
17. A Dispute over Spirits: A Short Boot Hill Adventure
18. The Good Ole Boy: A Systemless Short Adventure
19. Here Be the Goblins – A Lair Level Encounter for Labyrinth Lord
20. The Petrified Man – A “Soapy” Smith Adventure for Boot Hill
21. Boar Bounty: A Labyrinth Lord Adventure set in Korton Forest
22. Silence on Deck: A Labyrinth Lord Short Adventure
23. Drop the Hammer: A Modern Adventure for Survival Style Games
24. One Eye’s Wine: A Labyrinth Lord Short Adventure
25. Caution – Danger Ahead: A Labyrinth Lord Short Adventure

Caution – Danger Ahead: A Labyrinth Lord Short Adventure

Get Ready

As the party works through a labyrinth they spy an unmoving elf standing a few feet outside of a closed door. The elf does not even twitch nor will he again.

Get Set

The elf has been turned to stone. His pose indicates he was just about to enter the doorway. One arm extends forward and the opposite leg hints at being raised. The eyes are wide open as if astonished by what he saw. Around his waist, chip marks are evident as if something was removed from his body. In addition to the petrified elf, a single word has been chiselled into the wall in the dwarven tongue – ‘Danger’.

A sharp odour of acid wafts in the air within a few feet of the close door. The odour is not overwhelming. Easily detectable, it is more dominant within a foot of the doorway. Anyone moving in front of the statue near the door will get a whiff.

The door is bound iron. Rust lines all the outer edges and fades gradually toward the center. The rust has cut deeply into edges of the door and the hinges. The middle of doorway is covered by light surface rust.

Go!

Should the party decide to ignore the warnings, the door is stuck closed due to the rust. Opening it will require a strength of 15 or more to pry it open a few inches after which multiple characters can combine their strength to open it completely. The hinges of the door will squeak loudly as it initially opened alerting the occupants. The sharp acidic odor expands as the door is opened.

Four basilisks lie in wait staring at the door as it is opened (if they are alerted by the squeals of the hinges). They rest atop a platform 3 feet above the entry floor. In addition to the basilisks, yellow mold colonies have covered the walls on both sides of the door. A newer colony has begun to spread to the right of the door along the floor. The yellow mold cannot directly attack but is generally fed by startled adventurers turning to run and hitting the walls as they attempt to exit.

Notable NPCs

Basilisk (4) [AL N, MV 60’ (20’), AC 4, HD 6+1, #AT 2 (bite, gaze), DM 1d10/petrify), THAC0: 13, SV F6, ML 9, XP 570, LL 63, HC XVII] Total XP: 2280. HP: 28, 33, 22, 34.

Treasure: GP: 4000, Gems : 20 – Total Value: 4345 gp., Magic: Feather Token, Scroll: Treasure Map (Value 2 magic items), Armor –1 (cursed), , Potion of Plant Control, Scroll: Ward against Undead

Yellow Mold (3) [AL N, MV 0, AC NA, HD 2, #AT Spores, DM 1d6 + special, THAC0: 18, SV F2, ML NA, XP 38, LL 103, HC None] Total XP: 114. HP: 6, 5, 11.

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One Eye’s Wine: A Labyrinth Lord Short Adventure

Get Ready

The party is hired to retrieve a load of highly prized win from the legendary One Eye Vineyard. The vineyard is located within a series of steep, rugged hills a few days journey away.

Get Set

The vintners of the One Eye Vineyard are 3 cyclops — a male, female and younger son. Known only as One Eye, Bihar, the male, handles all public transactions while his wife and son generally handle all the brewing related tasks. Amyon, the son, is responsible for the rising fame of the winery due to his brewing talent. The matriarch of the family, Imeyna, oversees all the details of the operation and coordinates delivery of supplies and goods. She is the dominate force within the family — nothing happens without her approval. Bihar is always suspicious of new comers but is easily amused. He enjoys a good joke especially at the expense of elves.

Go!

The party are equipped with a cart and two mules to fetch four 10 gallon casks of the newly released vintage. The players are given permission to spend up to 100 gp per cask and have been given 40 pp to cover the transaction.

Upon nearing the winery, Bihar will greet the party when they are still 200′ from the winehouse. A large pile of rocks sit on either side of the double doors, which he will utilize as weapons if he feels the party is being deceptive. Since the party has not visited previously, Bihar is very suspicious of their intent. Shortly after he greets the party, he will be joined by his wife who steps out of the large double doors from the brewery.

The party must convince him of their intent to carry out an honest transaction. Perceptive individuals will note that Bihar occasionally glances at Imeyna, as if checking for her approval. If either of the cyclops feel threatened, they will be ordered to leave and not return. If the party persists or advances, both Bihar and Imeyna will lob rocks in front of the party as a warning. Neither wants to engage in conflict but will protect themselves if necessary.

Once the pair are convinced the party actually want to buy wine, they will invite them up to the winery. They will be invited into the front of the building into a tasting room and given samples along with a light meal. The building is built onto the face of the hill and quite obviously opens into a large tunnel, which descends deeper into the hillside. The tunnel has been expanded from but was a natural feature. The caverns below the building are used for storage and ageing of the wines.

As the party samples the wine and eats, Bihar will tell a few jokes mostly regarding the questionable heritage of elves. After they finish, he’ll get down to business unless distracted by other humorish tales. The price for the wine has gone up due to high demand. The price per cask is now 150 gp rather than the original 100. If careful in the negotiations, the party can get the price lowered to 120 gp/cask or opt to take a lesser vintage for two of the four casks. The vintage being sought is quite spectacular and worth the additional cost if the party is prepared to cover the extra cost from their own pockets.

Notable NPCs

Cyclops (3) [AL C, MV 90’ (30’), AC 5, HD 13, #AT 1, DM 3d10, THAC0: 10, SV F13, ML 9, XP 2,400, LL 69, HC XVII + 5,000 gp] HP: 70, 64, 46.

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A September of Short Adventures — Completed

I hope the Moustache Dragon is pleased. My twenty-fifth adventure is done and scheduled to post on Thursday. Some of them are good, some are sketchy, and a few are little more than a general concept. Still, hammering out 25 shorts in 30 days made me proud.

I covered a wide variety of ideas and a few different systems. The Boot Hill discussion late last month got my juices flowing and I actually managed to put together a half dozen adventures one could stitch together as a campaign. Every time I’ve attempted to run it has been from the hip. Longevity rarely comes from seat of the pants.

On the fantasy front, I labelled several as Labyrinth Lord adventures. I admit I’d probably play them under 2E AD&D rather than LL but they can probably be retooled to play under any early variant or clone quite easily.

The challenge has been very trying at times. The one thing it did was force me to be creative and imaginative even when stretched for time. Perhaps a few of the posts will inspire others. It has been a good time and I’m glad I signed up.

Thanks go to /Matt at Asshat Paladins for organizing the challenge. I’ll post a recap of all of my entries on Friday.

Drop the Hammer: A Modern Adventure for Survival Style Games

Get Ready

Behind every character is a player. Within that player is an inner child who still yearns to fulfil a dream. Drop the Hammer plays on the desire for every boy to own a legend.

Get Set

On the run and being harassed by the enemy, the characters are quickly running out of options. They need fuel for the ride they have been using which is barely serviceable and far from cool. Pressured and harassed, they are slowly being corralled. For now, they are ahead of the enemy but the lead becomes shorter with every passing minute.

Exactly who chose to steal the Dodge Dart? Still open for debate. Sure, its a battle wagon. Good old American steel is more protective than the cheap bodies of modern vehicles. This Dart has issues. The front wheels roll in different directions and the brakes make you question if sticking your feet through the rusty floorboards Flintstone style might stop you quicker. Steering is like giving a suggestion to a half-loaded tanker headed toward a runaway truck ramp. Yeah, its a piece of shit.

The PC’s need fuel and a map shows a small local airport which should have av gas. Maybe high octane can propel the Dart to 60 mph faster than the normal 32 seconds. As they vector into the airport, the Dart is picked up by nearby unmanned aircraft.

Go!

The characters arrive at the airport with no immediate pursuit behind them. They aren’t being pressured. A fuel truck is nearby, containing several hundred gallons of av gas and a small tank of jet fuel. Unfortunately, everything is locked. The airport office likely holds the keys. Shooting inset locks off a tanker doesn’t seem like the brightest of ideas.

The airport has seven hangars in the immediate vicinity of the one with a rusty sign proclaiming it the ‘Office’. All of them contain planes; a couple are little more than the equivalent of strapping wings to the Dart. One is a spray plane outfit complete with chemical agents. The other planes are in good mechanical condition and easily flown…if anyone can fly.

The characters can easily gain access to any of the hangars if they resort to breaking and entering. Within the office, they will find the keys to fuel truck and a “loaner car” — a Chevy Citation parked just outside the office. In addition, they will find keys for the gas pumps located out near the taxi-way.

Should they decide to search through any of the hangars, one will contain a treasure. Under a tarp at the back of the hangar is a 1967 Camaro [insert car/bike that speaks to the inner child]. She’s not pretty. Missing a hood and the interior looks like a mouse colony. The drive train and suspension are immaculate. A little fuel and she’ll be ready to roll.

Whatever the vehicle you choose, it should be cool and speak to a part of the character or player. It may be bikes, trikes, or a massively outfitted off road truck. It should have cosmetic flaws but nothing mechanically wrong. Time to allow a bit of cool.

As the characters are just getting set to depart, the sound a helicopter breaks the silence of the night. Spotlights from ground vehicles slice through the darkness. What will the party do?

Notable NPCs

A whole lot of ground based goons and a helicopter.

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Silence on Deck: A Labyrinth Lord Short Adventure

Get Ready

A ship floats silently into the harbor directed only by the wind; her sail shredded into strips. Not sound other than lapping waves breaks the still of the moonlit night.

Get Set

The ship is a single masted cog bearing the name Kateryn proudly on her stern. Aside from the damage to the sail, the ship has no obvious damage. The breeze drives the ship aground on rocks on the outskirts of the harbor shortly before high tide.

As the sun rises, the ship is tilted to starboard. Her fore keel perched top the rocky point and her aft settled into the mud flat exposed by the low tide.

Rumors spread of disease, ghosts, looted treasure and sea monsters. The harbor master has ordered no one to approach the vessel until it can be inspected. His order deflects only the scrupulous. Others plot to recover whatever bounty the ship holds.

Go!

The PC’s may be hired to inspect the ship either by the harbor master or buy agents of the local thieves guild. The former is interested in determining if the ship holds any risk to the town while the latter want to acquire any easily gained loot if possible.

The Kateryn contains no cargo and few valuables. Only a few personal possessions are of value. The ship is well stocked with food, water and other necessities for a voyage of five weeks.

A series of glyphs forming a rough circle have been carved into the top deck in a small region. Several of them are obscured by what appears to have been localized, intense fires. Near the center of the circle, a small splatter of blood still stains the deck boards.

All evidence indicates the crew and passengers, if any, just disappeared instantly. A plate of uneaten food lies on the floor in the crew area. The tiller was set to a fixed position and bound into place. The sail looks like it was being lowered but never secured before it was ripped apart by the winds on the seas.

Perhaps the captain’s journal can be found and provide an explanation.

[Crew and passengers were drawn through an incomplete Gate spell. The mage, uncertain at best, was attacked by a superstitious crew member just as the gate was beginning to open. The cruft is left open.]

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Boar Bounty: A Labyrinth Lord Adventure set in Korton Forest

Get Ready

A drift of hogs has taken over the forest and have begun to forage into nearby fields. The mayor of Korton has issued a bounty of 1sp per head with a bonus silver for boars.

Get Set

Korton is set in the the forest of the same name. Korton Forest is a small woodland of mixed conifer and deciduous trees. The town of Korton is set in a clearing near the edge of the forest. The town economy is intertwined with the health of the forest including wood cutting, nut harvesting and gathering of woodland edibles. Many of the resulting goods are sent to the capital city as trade materials.

The original infestation of boars were normal hogs escaped from farms in the region. They began to breed and spread throughout the forest. The boars caused little damage and were considered something of a boon by the huntsmen of the forest as an additional game animal.

Gradually, the population began to swell beyond what hunting could control The larger population attracted giant boars from the far reaches of the forest. The larger beasts easily dominated the smaller rivals and began to interbreed with the normal boars. The more aggressive cousins caused more destruction and also caused a population spike due to rampant breeding.

A pair of Demon Boars eventually heard of the infestation and has moved into the forest. They rarely appear in human form. Instead, they use the large population as camouflage to stay hidden. The two are responsible for the majority of deaths in the forest and prey upon the hunters seeking the bounty on the other boars.

Go!

The boars are not a cohesive group. They are spread among the forest in smaller bunches and occasionally encountered separately. A normal encounter will be several normal boars with 75% chance of giant boars being part of the group. Only two demon boars currently reside in the forest near Korton.

Before beginning the play, the GM should roughly estimate the overall population in the forest and the breakdown between the normal and giant boars. The game play should be split into a number of encounters with varying numbers along with a series of clues leading to the demon boars. Once half of the overall population has been killed, the infestation will be under control by the bounty payments.

The GM may also want to adjust HD for the normal and giant boars downward to include a diversity of hog ages. Piglets are common and can make the encounters more exciting while dramatically reducing risk to the party.

The overall hunt should be a series of individual encounters. Each should have a few details to add suspense to the otherwise dull task of hunting down pigs. The following are a few suggestions. Use a few or invent your own.

Farmers Field: Just on the outskirts of town a group of hogs is destroying a field and garden. The farmer has rushed to town to seek help. The hogs arrive near dusk or dawn and set about rooting out all the edible plants in the field. [3 piglets, 2 normal boars, 1 giant boar]

Dead Orc: A small number of hogs is feasting on the carcass of a dead orc. One hog lies dead nearby impaled by a crude spear. [2 normal boars, 1 giant]

Footprint of a Fatman: A huntsman has been killed and the corpse is little more than scattered bones. Based on the hoofmarks around the corpse, a large number of beasts were involved or came to feed. Amid the hoof prints are massive bare footprints of a human in the nearby mud. A skilled tracker may note the prints end in close proximity to unusually large hoof prints. The party can track down several beasts in the area as smaller encounters.

Injured Woodcutter: A lone woodcutter has survived a deadly assault. He managed to escape the battle and crawl up a tree. He’ll aid the party in finding the original location of the attack along with telling the tale of two massive hogs killing and feasting upon his fallen comrades.

Dazed and Confused: A pair of humans have setup camp in a small clearing. Both are well equipped but were obviously in battle. The male has a bandage on his leg and head. The female’s left arm is in a sling. The humans are seeking to escape the woods. They will share the story of 7 hogs led by two massive hogs surprising them on a narrow path in the woods. After killing several of the smaller beasts, neither of them can recall the remainder of the battle. Both were charmed by the Demon Boars. Luckily another group of hunters distracted the Demon Boars who chose to retreat rather than fighting a pitched battle. Unfortunately, the second group did not find the humans.

Each encounter should be memorable. Liberally drop clues pointing toward the presence of the menace of the Demon Boars.

Notable NPCs

Boar (d6) [AL N, MV 150’ (50’), AC 7, HD 3, #AT 1 (tusk), DM 2d4, THAC0: 17, SV F2, ML 9, XP 50, LL 66, HC None] HP: 17, 12, 17, 10, 12, 11.

Boar, Giant (d3) [AL N, MV 120’ (40’), AC 6, HD 5, #AT 1 (tusk), DM 3d4, THAC0: 15, SV F5, ML 9, XP 200, LL 66, HC None] HP: 19, 27, 26.

Demon Boar (2) [AL C, MV 120’ (40’) Boar 180’ (60’), AC 3 (9), HD 9, #AT 1 (gore or weapon), DM 2d6/weapon, THAC0: 12, SV F9, ML 10, XP 3,800, LL 69, HC XX] HP: 38, 56.

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