Session 8: Library Raid!

Foreword

My players seem intent on "clearing out" the dungeon I introduced in Session 1 to start out my campaign. This is the "Buried Temple" of the Adventurer Conqueror King System module "The Sinister Stone of Sakkara" 

Much discussion in the BroSR (the high T, elite powergamer faction of the normally twee and pudgy OSR) is about how modules aren't really the thing. And about how players generally aren't interested in "clearing" areas out. This was certainly the case in the BroSR 1e AD&D game I was a PC in. Clear a dungeon? Bruh we weren't even interested in delving a dungeon. 

get ready to get cleared, you!

My ACKS players, though. Big on clearance! What means?

One player has decided that the Buried Temple (which they call the Blister of Doom) has the best return on investment. The Legate is offering 2,000 GP to the party that fixes the problem. Nothing to sneeze at. Another mentioned that he's curious to see how the region changes if the source of the evil the Blister seems to possess is dealt with. He assumes (perhaps correctly) that the forest the Blister is in will change for the better if the PCs do their part.

It's certainly possible. I've been very explicit that the forest is INSIDE the borders of the empire and the extreme amounts of beastmen raids and dangerous monster/brigand lairs in there are not of the normally low frequency, historically. 

It could also be that my other hooks haven't grabbed the players as tightly, or offered prizes as tempting, as those in the Blister dungeon. Right now there's a rumored magic blade held at an undead camp, some strange magics infesting the legion's border towers, and a fortress guarded by manbearpigs just outside the border which the Empire has offered rights to any who clear it out. Solid hooks, imo, but the latter appears too daunting, I imagine. The others are perhaps not apparently gilded or challenging enough, respectively. Now that I'm 8 sessions in, I'm dropping very few new hooks unless players push them themselves. The world is in motion so things will happen, of course. But it's my game theory that brand new campaigns need 3 to 5 differently themed hooks but not much at all as the campaign itself grows around the players' interests.

As far as players making their own hooks like we did when I was a PC in 1e: my ACKS players appear to be making their own story during downtime more than during the sessions themselves. The shaman is gathering congregants, one legionnaire is trying to befriend the priestess, one barbarian is installing himself as a spy in a brigand camp etc etc. Great worldbuilding! But all done during downtime. 

I have no particular insight into the above, merely waxing philosophic about it Grognardia style. I'm having a wonderful time with a terrific team of players. It's shocking yet delightful how different players approach a campaign. This is not what I expected but it's certainly been a great time.

Session Report

Back to the Blister of Doom! The party was a little bit short handed this session since Yllmeeton (L1 PC Shaman) and Jack Filcher (L1 PC Thief) were unavailable to play. The show must go on!

A new player came on the scene bringing Puru (L1 PC Mystic) to the table. This is the ACKS version of a monk. Puru's claim to fame was a very nice halberd weapon and being quite perceptive to sound and secret doors. Well, come along champ! 

The party debated whether or not to stop off at Inthorn's brigand camp on the way to the dungeon. The previous week the thief, Jack Filcher, had sicced a Green Dragon on the brigands after encountering the beast in the wood. The party decided that Jack wasn't there and the dragon hadn't seen the rest of them. So, after about a day's travel into the wood, off to the camp they went.

The brigands were living large. They were carousing with wenches and gambling drunkenly with an obscene amount of ill gotten gains from their previous raid on the nearby town of Siadanos. Players were reminded that Jack's plan to have the dragon attack the brigands had backfired. The dragon instead helped the brigands raid the town and they took much more than normal. 

Inthorn himself was "predisposed in his tent with his paramour if you know what I mean wink wink say no more". Dairin the wizard, who the party believes quite powerful indeed, was about and making his usual underhanded insults; knowing the party wouldn't "clap back" (CC: at daringdanny)

predisposed iykwim

The party had some ale and celebrated with the brigands, the Legionnaires among the party holding their tongues, while Daria (L1 PC Bladedancer) and Broll (L1 PC Barbarian) hired a couple of brigand bowmen each to accompany them through the forest to the dungeon. The poor fellows had apparently lost all their ill gotten gains gambling with their brothers and agreed to go along for 3 gp for the job.

The next morning the party was at the Blister of Doom. Leaving the bandit mercs outside they made a beeline for the pigman lair in the place. Some more of the rat-dragonfly beasties attacked them as they crossed one room in the dungeon they've taken to calling the Courtyard due to foot traffic being so high there; constant random encounters!

The creatures nearly killed Broll, jamming stiletto shaped noses into his new dire wolf helm but piercing through his thick Jutlander skull. I ruled that attacking the things off a companion whilst they're latched on and feeding is done at -4 and there were many missed attacks. Puru the new player began what would be a long night of bad dice rolling. He kept the faith and didn't lose heart. Stay tuned!

Broll recovered from his near death experience ready to keep adventuring because barbarians in ACKS are hard to keep down. Yet the player was ready to try something new. Broll went back to the brigand camp with his 2 mercs and decided Broll would install himself at the camp to spy on them. I ruled that Broll could not return to an adventuring party unless he was "picked up" by that weeks group or he used his previous downtime to go back to Turos Tem (our main civlization/keep) rather than "spy". He agreed.

you ever just eat a barbarian's head
through your straw nose?

He dropped the game for a bit to roll a new PC. Sure why not. Go for it, kid. We kept playing without him.

The party delved deeper and found the square room with 4 exits where they had fought waves or pigmen the previous week. The explored north and found some zombie goblin heads on stakes (????) including the goblin chief's whom they had fought with twice in early sessions. They left it be.

Next they came to a couple of pigmen guards. They were quickly and easily dispatched. Yet the battle gave the pigman king and his honor guard in the next room time to prepare for battle.

Four honor guard and the orc chief fought hard but the players were able to get Gaius (L1 PC Fighter) and Mandonio (L1 PC Fighter) up front with their heavy plate armor and shield/spear specialties. The pigmen couldn't land a strike. They also held their morale fast and fought to the last. To no avail. 

Mandonio chopped off the chief's head to show to the Turos Tem Quartermaster later. They also discovered Broll's new PC. A dwarven craftpriest who specializes in bookbinding. The lad had been captured by the pigmen to read or destroy the books (or something idk his backstory was very quickly made; sorry PiBs).  He knew where the valuable books in the room were and knew a magic scroll was buried under the chief's throne of tossed over bookshelves.

the players never saw him on his
glorious throne of books he'd never read like an
OSR collector. Sad!

The party set to searching the room high and low for all the valuables, finding a glossy magazine of Zaharan ritual hornt practices (worth 500 GP to a coomer collector), and a scroll of some divine spells. There was a chest full of electrum and silver as well. There was also some apparently raided Tirenean glass ware in big heavy crates the PCs opted to carry away, slowing them down. I rolled for random encounters while they searched but to no avail. Alas. Don't worry, reader I get them later.

The players debated exploring further but Gaius was certain he'd make second level from the loot they'd acquired and demanded they cash out for the night. All relented and out they went. No random encounters in The Courtyard! Amazing!

Yet on the trip back to the brigand camp as night fell Puru spied some yellow eyes shining from the bows of trees surrounding the party. Wind blew cold as 4 (four) panthers jumped from the treetops at the party. Puru met one in the middle swinging his elephant stick (oriental halberd) wildly. He reacted more quickly than the rest of the party who were completely caught off guard with an ambush. The new dwarven craftpriest was quickly knocked under 0 (zero) hit points. Alas, whats your name, we hardly knew ye. 

The battle waged as the big cats were wild and agree for reasons unknown. Feral from the nearby evil of the Blister of Doom? Bad reaction roll from the DM? Affirmative Reaction Checks each time? Yes and perhaps yes to all. When all was said and done Gaius fell as well. Just before he was likely to finally level to 2! Hate to see it. His player was sending me angry private messages impugning my character, my fashion sense, and my fairness as a DM (jk that wasn't until the next day).

panthers attac!

The bowmen mercs also gotten involved in the battle, getting off one strike before the panthers ripped both their throats out.

Daria set to tending to the fallen PCs (sorry, bandits) leaving Mandonio and Puru along to dance to the death with the remaining panther who kept fighting for reasons unknown. Round after round neither myself nor the players getting off a final strike that would decide if this was for glory or a TPK. Mandonio finally landing a solid strike and Puru, the hero of the day, finally getting off a massive slash across the panthers throat and beheading it. 

Daria was able to revive both Gaius and The Dwarf due to a blessing from the goddess Ianna. Glory it is!

The party stopped by the brigand camp and was able to entice Inthorn's paramour ladycleric of the chaos goddess Nasga to purchase the glossy magazine of eyes wide shut rituals; the first time they had met her! She wore a wispy dress and acrylic nails. Not very talkative yet somehow judging them as low-value as she looked down from towering heels through fake eyelashes. 

The party left the next morning and made it back to Turos Tem with no further encounters, panthers or otherwise. The gods shined on the party's raid into the pigman library this day.

Surviving PCs Present

Broll (L1 Barbarian 10% xp bonus) played by RR.  Liquid treasure gained in Session 8 was none. XP gained in Session 8 was 14. Current Total: 214

Daria (L1 Bladedancer 0% xp bonus) played by JB. Liquid treasure gained in Session 8 was 400 SP, 240 EP, 100 GP. XP gained was 652. Current Total: 1,105

Kagan Booklearner (L1 Dwarven Craftpriest, 5% xp bonus) played by RR. Liquid treasure gained in Session 8 was 400 SP, 240 EP, 100 GP. XP gained was 645. Current Total XP: 645

Gaius (L1 [levels to 2 this session] Fighter 10% xp bonus) played by VoC. Liquid treasure gained in Session 8 was 400 SP, 240 EP, 100 GP. XP gained was 717. LEVEL UP! Current Total XP: 2,516

Mandonio Terkikos (L1 Fighter 10% xp bonus) played by RM. Liquid treasure gained in Session 8 was 400 SP, 240 EP, 100 GP. XP gained was 717. Current Total XP:1,670

Puru (L1 Mystic, 5% bonus XP) played by S. Liquid treasure gained in Session 8 was 400 SP, 240 EP, 100 GP. XP gained was 685. Current Total: 685.

Inactive:

Bucky (L1 Barbarian 5% xp bonus) played by VoC. Current Total: 27. Last session 6. Location: Turos Tem

Jack Filcher (L1 Thief  5% xp bonus) played by Chant. Last session 7. Current Total: 373. Location: Turos Tem

Yllmetoon (L1 Shaman 10% xp bonus) played by SS. Last session 7. Current Total: 490. Location: Turos Tem

 Deceased:

Dama (L1 Venturer) played by RR.  Current total xp: 75. DECEASED. Poison gas in Session 3.

Darius LeVay (L1 Assassin) played by JB. Current Total XP:451. DECEASED. Poison gas in Session 3.

Donald the Guardsman (L1 Fighter) played by MP. Current Total XP:570. DECEASED. Intra-party justice in Session 3.

Felix (L1 Thief) played by Nicholas. Current Total XP:431. DECEASED. Poison gas in Session 3.

Hektor (L1 Paladin) played by Moai. DECEASED. Cause of Death: goblin warg rider throat removal surgery in Session 2

Leonidas the Inquisitor (L1 Cleric) played by RR.Current Total XP:498  DECEASED. Frozen undead blistering cold aura left his skin frostbitten and broken in Session 6. Body not recovered.

Mard the Mage (L1 Mage) played by Nicholas. DECEASED. Frozen undead blistering cold aura left his skin frostbitten and broken in Session 6. Body not recovered.

Alexa this is so sad play "cotton eyed joe" by rednex