Doom of Dwarves, Session 2
You can now purchase the Dungeons & Delvers Core Rulebook much more conveniently over at the Big Geek Emporium.
After recruiting a cleric and wizard at Stoneshield Camp (both of whom started at level 1), the party began the arduous trek back up the mountain. Everything was mostly fine for the first eight days, but as they hunkered down to rest on the night of the ninth, a strange mist appeared.
This created a minor explosion that inflicted some damage and nearly killed the wizard, but on the plus side it burned away both the mist and residue. Over the howling wind they heard a loud shriek from above: a spider-like creature, just barely visible in the torch light, its rock-like carapace quickly producing more of the snaring mist.
The fighter waved the torch about, hoping to frighten the creature off. It technically worked, though the spider turned to pursue their donkey which had fled into the darkness following the explosion. The cleric quickly blasted it with Divine Wrath, and the creature scuttled out of sight. The mercenary and linkboy retrieved the donkey, and after they returned the party once again settled in to sleep.
The following day, the party woke early and arrived at the dwarven city just a few hours after sunrise. They made a beeline directly for the subterranean highway, eager to continue exploring, but roughly halfway through the ruins a wyvern appeared. It landed on a broken bridge above them and bellowed a challenge, and the fighter responded in kind.
The wyvern dove towards her, but thanks to her spear she got a hit in first, stabbing it in one eye before it closed the distance. Though half-blinded it continued to attack, and as it thrashed wildly about the fighter was forced to discard her spear, after which the wyvern promptly scooped her up in its mouth.
The cleric and wizard took turns blasting it with divine and arcane magic, while the rogue frantically chipped away at its legs. The fighter used her shortsword to stab it in the mouth, causing it to drop her.
Though they weren't able to slay the beast their combined efforts eventually caused it to flee, but not without nearly killing the fighter in the process. This delayed their exploration for a few days while she again recovered (fortunately she wasn't envenomed by the wyvern's sting), a task made all the quicker thanks to the cleric's healing magic.
We called the session there, as it was pretty late when we started (side effect from having yet another kid), and things were a bit slower than usual since both Melissa and our daughter were pulling double-duty with actual characters and learning new rules.
DESIGNER NOTES
I've been really liking the Dead Man Walking mechanic. So much better than simply being perfectly fine, and then immediately falling unconscious (or outright dying). Still rolling for Lingering Injuries: she ended up with a save penalty for several days.
Daughter was quick to notice that the wizard had Mastered and Learned Spells on the character sheet. Initially I'd considering letting you spend Skill Points to reduce the casting time on Learned Spells, but then if you later Master it that just means you wasted Skill Points.
So instead I'm going to stick with letting you burn more Willpower to reduce the casting time by one minute per 1d4, to a minimum of a Standard Action if you're fine piling 10d4 Drain on top of its normal cost. Sounds steep, but wizards can effectively learn all of their talents, and it's not so bad if you offset Drain costs with spell components and/or willpower potions.
Despite being a pair of level 1-and-2 characters, they were able to knock the 10 Hit Die wyvern down below half health. So this coupled with two different spellcasters and getting blinded in one eye caused it to fail its Morale check and wing it, though the fighter almost went down (luckily she made her Con save against the wyvern's venom).
At something like +13 to hit, the fighter's armor didn't do her a whole lotta good: the wyvern easily tore through it (which she had to repair). If she had plate that would have been a completely different story. Thinking one how I want to handle masterwork armor: a DR bonus is obvious, as is an AC bonus, but what about granting steadfast DR?
Maybe we'll go with Red Book's model, where you can pick different masterwork qualities. Or maybe these go in a specific sequence: you get the AC bonus first, then a DR bonus, and finally steadfast if you do a really good job.
The rogue was especially brutal: she'd wait to go last, getting a +4 bonus to hit on top of her usual bonus (thanks to Ganging Up), and with AP 3 (1 from short sword, +2 from the Chink in the Armor Talent) had no problem eating through the wyvern's DR. Maybe I should up it?
Here's the statblock for the mountain spider:
MOUNTAIN SPIDER
Size Large
Number Appearing 1
Speed 30 feet; climbing 20 feet
Ability Scores STR +3 CON +1 DEX +1 INT -4 WIS +1 CHA -2
Skills Athletics +8, Stealth +5
Defense 14 DR 3 AC 22 (0)
Saves STR +5, CON +2
Hit Dice 5d8+5; WP 25 VP 7 Total 32
- Bite Range 1; +5 to hit; 1d6+5 piercing damage (AP 1). If the target is Slowed the mountain spider inflicts an additional 1d6 damage, or 2d6 if the target is Restrained. If this attack inflicts Wound Point damage, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution save or be afflicted with mountain sider venom.
Special
Camouflage Any checks the mountain spider makes to hide while within mountainous terrain are Assisted.
Clinging Mist Swift Action. The mountain spider emanates a cloud of mist-like webbing. It slowly spreads at a rate of 5 feet per round, until it covers a 30-foot radius sphere which follows the mountain spider as it moves.
The webbing clings to any dry surface it touches (water prevents it from adhering), quickly creating a thick residue that makes it difficult to move. Terrain within the area of effect is treated as Difficult Terrain, and a creature that enters or starts its turn in the area of effect must attempt a DC 13 Strength save: the first time it fails, it is Slowed, the second time it is Restrained, and the third time it is Paralyzed. The DC increases by 1 for each round the creature remains in the area of effect.
Projectile weapons passing through the miss are considered to have traveled twice as far, and any checks made to see something within the mist are Hindered.
The mist doesn't last long once the mountain spider moves: over the course of 1d4 minutes it loses all adhesive properties, and crumbles into a fine powder, easily blown away by wind.
Treasure
mountain spider carapace (2d4 x 100 sp), mist glands (2d4 x 100 sp), adhesive fluid (1d4 x 100 sp), venom sac (2d4 x 100 sp); 50% chance for mountain spider venom (1d4 x 100 sp)
And the new wyvern:
WYVERN
Size Large
Number Appearing 1
Speed 30 feet; flying 60 feet
Ability Scores STR +4 CON +2 DEX +1 INT -2 WIS +1 CHA -1
Skills Athletics +14, Perception +11
Defense 17 DR 3 AC 27 (0)
Saves STR +7, CON +5
Hit Dice 10d8+20; WP 60 VP 15 Total 75
- Multiattack The wyvern makes a bite and stinger attack
- Bite Range 4; +13 to hit; 2d6+7 piercing damage (AP 1)
- Stinger Range 5; +13 to hit; 1d8+7 piercing damage (AP 2). If this attack inflicts WP damage, the target is also afflicted by wyvern venom.
- Divebomb The wyvern dives upon a creature on the ground; Range 2; +13 to hit; 2d6+7 slashing damage, and if the creature is Medium or smaller it is Prone and Restrained by the wyvern (escape DC 17). During the wyvern’s turn, it can inflict an automatic 2d6+7 slashing damage to the target (takes the place of one of its attacks for that round).
Treasure
wyvern hide (3d6 x 100 sp), wyvern blood (2d6 x 100 sp); wyvern bone (3d6 x 100 sp), wyvern teeth (1d4 x 100 sp); (75% chance of a venom sac (2d6 x 100 sp), 75% chance of a stinger (2d4 x 100 sp)
Leave a Comment