Having not played Classic Fantasy for several weeks, I decided to revive and continue my solo game based on an exploration of the example dungeon found on page 95 of the Dungeon Masters Guide (1st Edition, 1979).
This play report follows my usual format of describing the action of the game but interspersing the narrative with italicised notes which describe the game play elements, such as die rolls and other mechanics.
Flamepaw, Nevim, and Grimblade…
When last we saw our heroes, they were down in the dungeon and had just fought off a wandering band of Goblins. They had decided to check out the two doors and then withdraw before the Goblins returned.
Walking to the north end of the corridor, Grimblade decides to listen at the door on the left.
Grimblade’s Perception is 46% and he rolls 64.
“Seems quiet,” he says, before padding to the other door for a listen.
Grimblade rolls 61.
Nodding to himself, the half-orc whispers that all seems quiet. With a shrug, he goes to open the door on the left. The door is stuck and Grimblade pushes on it firmly, giving it a good shove…
Rolls 27 under his Brawn skill of 53%.
The door opens with a creak and Grimblade can see a corridor running westwards the full 30 feet of the lantern beam. Beckoning Nevim forward, the party begins to move slowly down the corridor.
As they reach 20 feet from the door, an opening can be seen ahead to the west – perhaps a chamber.
Generating the room details, there are 1000 silver shillings and 250 gold sovereigns in bags. Around them are scuttling six Giant Rats. I decide the party might hear or smell the rats… but it’s a Hard Perception test. This is a Team Roll – the best skill is Flamepaw with 58%, which is reduced to 38%. Rolls 54.
Moving the remaining 30 feet to the chamber’s opening, the heroes can see a 30-foot square room. In the south-west corner is a pile of what looks like leather bags. With eyes glinting in the lantern light, however, the heroes spy a group of Giant Rats!
As my experience of rats is that they avoid trouble, I decide to test their Neutral (Hungry) Passion 58% – roll 62 to fail, and decide the Giant Rats scuttle off…
With sword and shield in hand, Nevim enters the room cautiously. The Giant Rats scamper away from the skeletal remains of a Goblin that they were chewing on, heading towards the south-east of the room and disappearing.
“Are those treasure bags?” asks Grimblade, pointing at the leather sacks in the corner.
Nevim approaches slowly and, using his longsword blade, lifts the edge of one of the sacks. Inside he sees the glint of silver, probably coins. At this point, he’s wondering why the treasure is here and apparently untouched.
“I’m seeing silver coins but I am worried about what killed that Goblin,” says Nevim.
Stepping forward, placing the lantern on the floor nearby, Grimblade decides to take a look at the bags for signs of trickery or traps.
I’ll test his Perception as Grimblade looks over the bags – rolls 98 against his Perception 46%.
“Look’s ok to me,” says Grimblade. He goes to lift out one of the leather bags.
Is there a trap? Even odds – “Yes”. I decide it’s a growth of mould on the bags beneath that releases a cloud of nasty spores. Draw a 6 for difficulty = 60%. The party needs to make an opposed Evade check to escape the cloud, but Grimblade is closest and suffers a Hard test. Trap roll scores 15 – a success; Nevim scores 65 to fail, Flamepaw scores 56 to fail, and Grimblade scores 38 to fail. I decide to have all the heroes spend a Luck Point to re-roll – Nevim scores 95, Flamepaw 04, and Grimblade 34. Flamepaw crits and dives well clear of the effect; only Nevim fails.
Coughing and spluttering, Nevim falls to his knees as the other two heroes move clear of the rapidly expanding cloud of spores. Grimblade lets go of the leather bag as he withdraws.
Decide to treat this as a Sleeping Gas Trap. Nevim needs to make an Endurance check – rolls 64 to fail!
With a wheeze, the hulking Nevim pitches forward onto the leather bags and rolls onto his back as he seeks to get air.
Onset time 1d4 rounds – scores 2 – and lasts for 1d4+1 hours; Nevim rolls 3 hours.
With the spores in the air, there is little the other two heroes can do as they watch their compatriot gasp and collapse.
“Is he still breathing?”
Flamepaw waits for the spores to settle and then shifts closer to Nevim. He can see the slow rise and fall of the human’s chest.
“Yes,” he says, “Looks like he’s asleep.”
“That explains how those giant rats got to chow on the Goblin then,” says Grimblade.
Grabbing Nevim by the ankles, the two heroes pull him clear of the leather bags and try to wake him by slapping his face. The big man seems oblivious and doesn’t wake.
Scrabbling through his healing kit, Grimblade looks to see if he has any herbs he can use as a strong stimulant.
Bad odds – draw No.
“I don’t think anything in the healing kit will help, sad to say,” says Grimblade.
“Can we carry him?” asks Flamepaw.
Nevim is SIZ 15 which roughly equates to 45 ENC. The combined STR of the pair is 22. Lifting Nevim will make the heroes Burdened, reducing their move rate by 10 feet and making all STR or DEX tests Hard. The heroes can move at 120 feet per minute but it’s medium effort of Fatigue purposes. But it’s only 2 minutes back to the surface… assuming there’s no trouble on the way.
With Grimblade at the head and Flamepaw at the ankles, the two heroes lift Nevim and start to carry him back down the corridor.
Is there a Wandering Monster? Roll 1d10, score 3 – yes! Logically, it’s the Goblins again – 1d3+3 scores 9 in total. The heroes are in big trouble!
As the heroes approach the door at the end of the corridor, Flamepaw is listening…
Rolls Perception 02 – critical success!
“Ssshh,” hisses the Bruxx as he catches sound of whispered voices ahead, “Sounds like trouble!”
Putting the unconscious Nevim on the ground, Grimblade draws his shortbow. Flamepaw begins to weave a spell – he’s going to cast Change Appearance to make himself look like an Orog!
This illusion spell will last for 2d6 minutes per Intensity, so 1 Magic Point should be enough to try and scare the Goblins. Flamepaw casts the spell and rolls 67 against his Arcane Casting 64% – bugger! He only has one Luck Point left – do I save it for the possible battle, or use it to re-roll the spell? I can force the spell, erasing it from mind, and figure that the chances of using the spell again today are low… so I’ll keep the Luck Point and force the spell.
Before Grimblade’s eyes, the Bruxx shifts from his lithe rat-like form into the hulking brute of an Orog – growing taller and bulkier, with tusks erupting around a pig-like snout! Readying his quarterstaff, the magic-user runs into the corridor bellowing with all his might!
Do the Goblins buy this? It seems reasonable that they see the charging form of an Orog but the voice will be wrong – a screaming Bruxx is not as intimidating as a greater orc! I decide to flip a card to see if the Goblins will attempt to disbelieve – Even odds; “Yes”. Each Goblin gets to make a Willpower test versus the original Arcane Casting roll (67)… with only Willpower 42%, they need to crit to succeed – 5% or less! The first rolls 01 (unbelievably!), while all the others fail…
The lead Goblin takes one look at Flamepaw and chuckles to himself, turning to his mates to point and laugh… but notices they are all staring at the hulking brute bearing down on them. With a look of alarm, the Goblin begins to point and yell something in Goblinese…
Entering Combat…
Right now, I need Initiative. I’m going to treat the Goblins as surprised, except for the disbeliever. Scores are Flamepaw 25, Grimblade 18, Lone Goblin 18, Goblins 4. We’ll assume the Goblins are 50 feet away at the junction, with one of them carrying a lit torch.
Flamepaw is running and charging at the nearest Goblin – which happens to be the disbeliever. He moves half his 75-feet running speed in the first cycle, which is 40 feet.
Grimblade steps out from behind the door with bow ready and draws his arrow. That’s the first action for loading.
The lone Goblin tries to persuade his mates that the Orog is an illusion. He’s waving his arms and shouting about it being a magical trick.
The Goblin’s base Influence is 14% – he rolls 14%. Wow! I decide to allow the Goblins another Willpower save, this time made Easy by the Goblin pointing out that the creature doesn’t sound right. Saves need to beat the 67% of the original Arcane Casting, but this time the Goblin’s Willpower is half again as good, totalling 63%… they still need to crit, but do so on a roll of 07 or less. All fail! (Phew!)
The other Goblins get to go… how brave are they? They can see the mangled remains of two dead compatriots in the corridor and a large charging Orog who, despite the protestations of their mate, looks convincing enough!
Test Willpower – 42% – as a team roll… score 34. I decide to use Flamepaw’s last Luck Point to force the Goblins to re-roll. They score 65 instead!
The Goblins cry out in fear and run down the corridor from whence they came, leaving their crazy-assed mate behind!
Flamepaw arrives on scene with his charge. He moves the remaining 10 feet and makes his attack!
The attack roll is one grade harder for charging, meaning Flamepaw needs 25%… rolls 83 to miss! The Goblins gets to counter-attack, rolling 06 and critically succeeding! He has two special effects, choosing location (chest) and bypass armour! Rolls 1d8+1-1d2… and scores a 1 on the d8, a 2 on the d2… and scoring zero damage!
Wow!
Grimblade pulls the bow, planning to shoot at the last Goblin in the tunnel.
The Goblin, with one Action Point left, decides to strike at Flamepaw.
Rolls 17 to strike. Flamepaw tries to parry – rolls 77 to fail. Goblin chooses chest again, and rolls for damage – 7 points! Ouch! Flamepaw is down to 1 hit point in the chest!
The Goblins can be heard running away, feet flapping on the stone floor.
Flamepaw strikes again with the staff!
Rolls 91 to miss.
Grimblade lets fly the arrow!
Rolls to hit – difficulty is Hard for shooting into melee combat – scores 58… uses last Luck Point to re-roll… for a 27, and hits! Goblin can’t defend himself (no remaining Action Points), so Grimblade chooses the head. Rolls 4 damage, which pings off the Goblin’s helmet!
Round 2 begins!
Flamepaw strikes at the Goblin with his staff… and misses! Grimblade draws his broadsword and shield, while moving 10 feet forward. The Goblin…
Is the Goblin panicked by being outnumbered? Test Willpower… rolls 46 to fail.
The Goblin tries to open the range so that he can disengage. Flamepaw decides to let him go… and the Goblin flees the combat!
Ending the illusion, Flamepaw returns with Grimblade to pick up the unconscious Nevim. Slowly shuffling along the corridor, the pair return to the burnt-out spider lair and then climb the stairs to the surface.
Here they make camp. It’s been a hell of a day!
