Happy Wednesday dear readers, it is I BDubs1776 yet again. I'm still trying to catch up with Session Reports done since last spring when I had to take a break from DMing Dubzaron. You may notice that some session numbers are being skipped. This is because some of the co-DMs were lax in doing session breakdowns; either not doing them at all or just dropping a quick paragraph about the general nature of the session. Neither is useful for putting up session reports like this on a blog. So I didn't and won't.
I think you can still follow the blog and get the general thrust of the campaign evolution and feel during this time frame.
Below you will find DM Brigadine of Brigadungeon fame back in the DMing chair. And you'll find your favorite BROSR DM and social media gadfly (me) as a PC Thief known as Scamicus the Trustworthy.
For fun I'm going to not put a great deal of thoughts in this intro but instead jump into Brig's useful reporting with my stupid and irreverent thoughts from the PC perspective. Enjoy! -DM Dubs 08/23/23
Downtime talk was about hitting Muppetlantis with Scamicus the Thief interested in trying to find a big score. Cue the session and we’re covered up with PCs and everyone seems to be in agreement that Muppetlantis, the acid trip induced combination of Muppet Treasure Island, Atlantis, Barbarians of Kanahu, and other things I can’t recall, is the target of interest. The PCs had moved themselves in downtime to the closest civilized location to launch from and were ready to go pretty quickly. Muppetlantis is designed to be a randomly generated dungeon using AD&D’s Appendix A. This is advantageous for a few reasons. First, it is truly random. Second, it helps test a theory that Bdubs has about passing a single dungeon off to multiple DMs. If the next DM picks up where the first left off, generating everything randomly, then it’s a fresh run for everyone involved. If you’re looking for bespoke plot devices or contrived hooks and such, this ain’t that.
(DubsNote: We have found that Muppetlantis is a useful dungeon for allowing multiple DMs a place to take turns delving. You can’t know what’s there, even as a dm, if it’s randomly generated. However as you’ll see below the scores are kind of meh and have led to the place not really grabbing the zeitgeist of the campaign or the interest of most PCs.)
The party checked out of Turos Tem and headed along the road that had been established towards Krak de Chevalier, formally Fort Apache, by Madeye and Gaius during the development of Tem and the New Badlands. They ran across a handful of mules that through some coaxing George was able to bring on board. “Every party needs mules for all the loot we’re going to get!” No one ever got saddlebags or packs for the mules and I was eager to spring that on them if it came up. Next they found an icy patch on the road and in the badlands/muddy area. Now, it’s not summer or anything but there’s no way it should be frosty so they knew something was amiss. After some consideration they opted to skirt the area which was wise, as three frost salamanders burst from the mud and attempted to ambush where the party should have been. Because the big lizards were surprised, they didn’t catch on that the party had skirted them and were easily evaded. Our stout adventurers continued on, next dodging a pair of Manticores that were engaged in some kind of play or mating ritual in the air. Again the enemy was surprised so the party was able to skeedaddle. They made it safely to Krak de Chevalier and introduced themselves to the corporal on duty. Some of the party had been through before and Scamicus greased the skids with a bit of Dilbert’s whiskey and soon enough they were cozied up for the night. They convinced the guards to let them leave their livestock at the fort and determined to go on foot to the dungeon.
The next day they set out early for Muppetlantis and hit the search rolls right off the rip. Basically walked right to the place like they never left. A big 20’ wide 30’ tall cavern mouth descended into the ground, flanked by worn columns of indeterminate architectural origin. They set up marching order and light and whatnot and in they went. They followed a 20’ wide hallway covered in algae and slime from being in a swamp for ages to a T intersection where they discussed where they thought maybe they had killed some kobolds. They knew that some kobolds escaped with loot previously and endeavored to try to follow them. They found a big room filled with rats eating kobold corpses, but George of the Jungle was able to navigate the party through the delicate social situation to the door in the back where they knew kobolds had fled to. They searched the end of a dead end hallway until accidentally triggering a trapdoor that dumped them on a ramp and into the room below. (DubsNote: totally on purpose.)
The party checked out of Turos Tem and headed along the road that had been established towards Krak de Chevalier, formally Fort Apache, by Madeye and Gaius during the development of Tem and the New Badlands. They ran across a handful of mules that through some coaxing George was able to bring on board. “Every party needs mules for all the loot we’re going to get!” No one ever got saddlebags or packs for the mules and I was eager to spring that on them if it came up. Next they found an icy patch on the road and in the badlands/muddy area. Now, it’s not summer or anything but there’s no way it should be frosty so they knew something was amiss. After some consideration they opted to skirt the area which was wise, as three frost salamanders burst from the mud and attempted to ambush where the party should have been. Because the big lizards were surprised, they didn’t catch on that the party had skirted them and were easily evaded. Our stout adventurers continued on, next dodging a pair of Manticores that were engaged in some kind of play or mating ritual in the air. Again the enemy was surprised so the party was able to skeedaddle. They made it safely to Krak de Chevalier and introduced themselves to the corporal on duty. Some of the party had been through before and Scamicus greased the skids with a bit of Dilbert’s whiskey and soon enough they were cozied up for the night. They convinced the guards to let them leave their livestock at the fort and determined to go on foot to the dungeon.
The next day they set out early for Muppetlantis and hit the search rolls right off the rip. Basically walked right to the place like they never left. A big 20’ wide 30’ tall cavern mouth descended into the ground, flanked by worn columns of indeterminate architectural origin. They set up marching order and light and whatnot and in they went. They followed a 20’ wide hallway covered in algae and slime from being in a swamp for ages to a T intersection where they discussed where they thought maybe they had killed some kobolds. They knew that some kobolds escaped with loot previously and endeavored to try to follow them. They found a big room filled with rats eating kobold corpses, but George of the Jungle was able to navigate the party through the delicate social situation to the door in the back where they knew kobolds had fled to. They searched the end of a dead end hallway until accidentally triggering a trapdoor that dumped them on a ramp and into the room below. (DubsNote: totally on purpose.)
This is where new generation of the dungeon started, giving the party a few exits in the form of doors and a hallway. Scamicus stopped to listen and rolled very well, hearing no bad guys but a high frequency piercing kind of noise just at the edge of human perception that set his teeth on edge. Direction wasn’t clear so they picked the hallway and off they went.
And went. And went. Turn, hallway, intersection, more hallway. Rest. No random encounters. Repeat. As they traveled, they realized the hallways were lined with columns that popped and sparked randomly but otherwise were not seeing anything threatening or more importantly valuable.
They came to a stream crossing one hallway with a rope set to swing across so George, you know, of the Jungle, swung across. It was exhilarating. But the party decided to take a door on their side of the drink, so he had to swing back. (DubsNote: Scamicus enjoyed giving George a nice gold clap then saying “yeah so come back to us, dummy”.)
And went. And went. Turn, hallway, intersection, more hallway. Rest. No random encounters. Repeat. As they traveled, they realized the hallways were lined with columns that popped and sparked randomly but otherwise were not seeing anything threatening or more importantly valuable.
They came to a stream crossing one hallway with a rope set to swing across so George, you know, of the Jungle, swung across. It was exhilarating. But the party decided to take a door on their side of the drink, so he had to swing back. (DubsNote: Scamicus enjoyed giving George a nice gold clap then saying “yeah so come back to us, dummy”.)
Dissatisfied with the door leading to yet another long hallway, they back-tracked and eventually found an unusual door, solid metal that dropped from the ceiling as though used in defense. Samson on the first rank easily raised the door high overhead where it clicked into the ceiling, revealing a cavernous room that seemed to eat their light, reducing it to only its brightest radius. The dim light they’d normally get was gone. A squeaky, pubescent voice addressed them from the shadows demanding to know why they were here. Like adventurers do, they lied. Oh we’re just passing through, got turned around, no big deal. Squeakers told them to leave a bag of gold on their way out, or else. This was accompanied by a gaggle of laughing voices from the darkness. Scamicus threw a torch at them and it was on.
Now, humanoids in Muppetlantis are muppets. Yep, those ones. Felt puppets. So the party got into a deadly serious fight with 5 felt puppets that looked like Rizzo and the boys. Blows were exchanged, fire was hurled, Lyros was bitten, and ultimately the party prevailed, tackling one of them after convincing him to surrender. While they interrogated him, they realized that the “slain” muppets were gone. Eh? Whatever, there’s no gold in that. Squeakers had a coin in his uh, cavity, that Scamicus eagerly went elbow deep in to search for. It was a Kennedy half dollar, each side showing heads but one scratched up. He bit the coin because that’s what you do. Squeakers told them that if they flipped the coin dramatically in the air they could cast Darkness once per day. (DubsNote: this is a great magic item which Scamicus still has and is enjoying the use of. Thanks party for not demanding I give it to the group fund. Playing a thief is the best!)
Not satisfied, the party tied him up and forced him to show them to treasure which he had no idea about. They then asked about the weird noise when they realized that he was subtly bobbing his head to some unheard beat.
The captive ratmuppet led them to a sekrit door and back through some hallways towards the noise that only he could truly hear, all the while bobbing his head. At one door, the party listened and heard more rats like the ones above.
The captive ratmuppet led them to a sekrit door and back through some hallways towards the noise that only he could truly hear, all the while bobbing his head. At one door, the party listened and heard more rats like the ones above.
Desperate for some kind of treasure (DubsNote: we were in fact getting desperate for a score here. As the caller I felt like I was letting the party down.) they opened the door to dozens of giant rats in and around rats nests who weren’t particularly put off by the party. They simply looked at them, every single rat bobbing its head in time to the mystery beat. George the Beastmaster was up again, dancing his way through the room bobbing his head like Chris Kattan in search of valuables, coming back with a handful of silver and certain that there was quite a bit more. (DubsNote: Obviously the music playing was “What is Love” of “Night at the Roxbury” fame. Deadly serious session and stakes with the stupidest themes possible!)
They discussed a minute then George used his beastial cry whereby all the already friendly rats gathered in a group around him, staring eagerly at him and ready to help. He led them out of the room while the thieves ransacked the place, coming out with piles of silver coins and other odd silver bits. I ruled that as long as George matched time with the rats, then he would be able to keep their attention and pied piper them around, sacrificing his first round of combat to do so. They carried on, reaching a location that they had been to previously. They checked a big room to the north and found many coffins that had been broken out from the inside, but no valuables or undead to slay. Searching the coffins revealed a handful of spent power crystals, but none that were active. They took some anyway. (DubsNote: We should have taken more. I hadn’t done the research yet but these sci-fi style power crystals are pretty valuable. I was somewhat RPing that my thief didn’t care. Sadly we didn’t have any PCs on hand that cared about arcana or tech stuff so they didn’t slow my Calling down to make sure we investigated the crystals more closely.)
Squeakers led them back the way they had come, eventually, once very near the trapdoor that they entered from, wincing in pain and asking to go no further. Scamicus wasn’t having it and forced him on, where at the next intersection he started to howl and shriek in pain. The rats following George would not pass beyond that intersection either, so George stayed behind with them while some others went up to scout ahead.
They found a metal plinth with a disco ball of mirrored glass hovering above it. Scamicus pitched Squeakers into the room before entering to test for traps I guess? where bl000d poured out of his ears and the rat muppet was no more. (DubsNote: This was so funny to me at the time. Still makes me chuckle. Being a Neutral Thief rules!)
Investigating the pedestal revealed a wide slot in one side with inscriptions underneath it. Scamicus stuck some coins in the slot and the whole thing popped and sparked and smoked and the disco ball fell and rested on top of the plinth. Once this happened, the rats by George immediately stopped bobbing their heads and scattered, fleeing into the dungeon corridors. They knocked it over and stole the ball, got after a compartment in the bottom of the plinth and tore out some colored wire, eventually pulling loose a metal box. Deciding their recon mission was concluded, they exited the dungeon the way that they had entered, through the trapdoor and rat room and out. They walked back to Krak de Chevalier with a story to tell and a little coin for their trouble.
(DubsNote: In hindsight I think the machine was a cd jukebox but I’m still not 100% sure, the DMs descriptions were good. Just weird enough to be confusing. I think I botched my Remove Traps check or we may have been able to claim more in tact tech treasure. All and all a fun session and good on the fly DMing. I failed as a Caller since I should have found us more rooms to check for potential treasure rolls. But we avoided any stupid/deadly combat except the one where we’d have needed to make too big of a bribe to avoid.)
Grades:
Samson: Little to fight, little to heal. Threatened to intervene if they executed a captive without cause. As cleric/crusader as he could be given the circumstances, E
Tuck: Fell asleep before the only real fight of the session where the barbarian could do barbarian things. Just got in from overseas, jet lag’s a thing, no aberrant behavior. E
GC: Greedy coward, hid and tried to flank during the muppet fight, E
Guvnor: Berzerked and engaged muppets, E
Scamicus: All focus on profit and scores, E
George: Did beastmaster things more than anyone really thought possible in a dungeon, E (DubsNote: Star of the show for sure. Amazing play.)
Lyros: Flanked out, sneaked, engaged muppets, E
Musings: First run at Muppetlantis for me and I wasn’t in the previous sessions, so tried to put some flavor in it. I hope some of it came across well but with how hallway heavy the generation was it maybe left the players a little wanting for some action. Random be random, though. I had fun taking suggestions and nodding along when the party jumped on the flavor bits they found interesting. The disco ball started as a plain plinth that evolved as more got heaped on it, eventually turning into a disco cd player. Looking forward to seeing how the dungeon develops as more DMs put their stamps on it.
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