Game log 23 June 2019: If the Tiger Mom irks you, wait until you meet these cats

Dramatis personae

Xoran, fox-man ("rúskwē") swordsman
Mayhem, pint-sized barbarian
Josiah, a wandering minstrel he
Ash, knight
Nikotsu, mercenary
Caleb, wizard
Maquia, huntress cleric
Kôštē, NPC cleric

Quid occurrit

After the ordeal, the heroes start to heal up. Ash pours his healing potion down the throat of Kôštē, while Nikotsu goes into Kôštē’s pouches and grabs one of Kôštē’s potions and also pours this down Kôštē’s throat. Maquia casts Major Healing on Kôštē, which at last wakes her up, giving them two healers to try to heal Caleb.

Alas, once healer cancels out the other when Maquia fumbles on her Major Healing spell after Kôštē cast hers. This sends Caleb to the brink of death for a minute or so while Kôštē and Maquia each cast Minor Healing on him, then pour a potion down his throat. Mayhem tries looking for healing herbs but can find none, but at least the other spells had stopped Caleb from drooling blood.

After about an hour, everyone but Caleb is awake and mulling around, Josiah and Ash go into the lean-to hut next to the Abbey, and find twelve bedrolls in use and three smoking jackets. There are other bedrolls not in use, which they gather were once those of the dead bandits who are stacked on the other side of the Abbey. The humans’ bodies have big purple buboes all over them. They shows the bodies to Maquia, who recalls that the death god Ažbrátōr had cursed the Abbey to give a sickness to anyone who dared to go inside.

That is enough for Xóran, who hates Ažbrátōr. “I’m going in; it’s my duty.” He starts to walk inside the Abbey, and says, “If I go in there and I get cursed and the curse doesn’t get lifted I’m going to kill each and every one of you.” Josiah goes with him, and when they walk inside, purple buboes start to show up on Xóran’s body. Josiah itches a little, but no buboes show up on him.

The two keep walking to the middle of the Abbey, and see a big bronze font in the middle, with a pillar on each of four corners, making a square with the round font in the middle. Above the font, they see a big canvas which old nails hold to the rafters as it sags downwards. Both start to go near the font, and as they do, hot oil shoots out at them. Both get out of the way, and see there is no oil in the font.

Josiah climbs up a pillar. He takes out a nail and the corner falls, and he can see the glow of the painting on the canvas. Xóran calls out, “Hurry up, I’m turning into a frickin' blueberry here!” Josiah goes up the next pillar, and pulls out another nail, making the painting fall down. A bunch of gold coins falls into the font, as does a silver bracelet and a burlap sack. Josiah goes up the third pillar and again takes out a nail, but when he does this to a fourth, he leans too far forward and hot oil shoots on him. He grimaces, but doesn’t fall, and undoes the last nail.

When Josiah gets down, Xóran says that while he may not live much longer, he will now call Josiah by name as he has earned his respect. They bring the loot to the door, and, after trying to push over the font and finding himself unable to do so, Xóran asks Ash to bring him a dead rabbit. Ash quickly finds and kills a rabbit, and tosses it inside. Xóran cuts open the rabbit’s body and cuts it up, and throws the bits and blood all over the font. He then walks back to the doorway and lets Maquia try to cast Cure Disease on him.

Somehow, the buboes go away. Xóran walks outside and breathes the fresh air, glad to be still alive. Xóran opens the sack, but when the others try, they cannot open it. Again, Xóran opens it, thinking it only opens for him.

Ash, Josiah, Mayhem, and Xóran light fire to the Abbey, and as they start to walk away, they see two rakshasas and six bandits watching them. Xóran says, “Sorry, was this yours? I guess we lit it on fire.”

One rakshasa laughs. “Thank you stupid fools for getting our treasure for us!”

Xóran scowls. “Great. Well, if you want your treasure then I guess you had better come and take it.”

Taking on two rakshasas and six bandits.
That's Xoran out in front:
"Bring it on."

So begins the fight. First one rakshasa breathes fire, but everyone gets out of the way. Everyone else moves to engage until the other rakshasa breathes water, freezing Ash and knocking down Maquia. Xóran and Josiah start to fight the fire-breathing rakshasa, and Xóran tells Nikotsu and Mayhem to “Brace the left flank!” Josiah’s blow hits the rakshasa while Nikotsu starts to fight a bandit.

The rakshasa scoffs at his wounds and smacks Josiah, but doesn’t live long enough to enjoy his cut, as Xóran kills that rakshasa with his magic sword to the skull before stunning a nearby bandit with his roar. Josiah wounds two bandits with fast blows before Kôštē casts Minor Healing on Josiah. Two other bandits and Nikotsu trade misses, while the last bandit smacks Ash in the face, dropping him to the ground.

The still-living rakshasa misses Nikotsu. Mayhem plants axe into bandit’s skull: “My great axe is ready to talk to you!” The bandits miss Josiah and Nikotsu and a third bandit’s blow doesn’t get through Mayhem’s armor. Nikotsu takes out bandit with a sword blow. Kôštē casts an especially blessed Major Healing on Josiah, bringing him back to full health.

Xoran and Josiah flank the rakshasa.

The rakshasa and Nikotsu trade misses, but Josiah takes out one bandit, making the other bandits flee. However, Kôštē thumps a bandit in the back with her staff as he runs past. Yet again do the rakshasa and Nikotsu trade misses while everyone else starts moving into position to help take out the rakshasa.

Xoran killed the first rakshasa with his magic sword.

Josiah cleans up the right flank; Xoran charges the left flank.

Only Xoran's sword can kill the last rakshasa.

Xóran gets near the rakshasa who tries to hit him, but Xóran whacks him instead. Mayhem tries to get in on the fun, but hits his own leg with his axe, making him go nuts. Nikotsu, however, does get a hit on the rakshasa, which smacks down Mayhem trying to hit him from the ground.

The rakshasa's three remaining bandits bolt and run.
This creature is as good as dead

That’s the last deed of the rakshasa, as Xoran’s magic sword finds its mark in its fur. Mayhem snaps out of his berserk rage, while Kôštē gets off another especially blessed Major Healing, this time on Mayhem.

Res aliae

We were a little short today, as Steph (Mayhem) is working in the summer and Hannah (Nikotsu) had the flu (which we later found out was an ear infection). So Sophia (Maquia) handled Nikotsu in combat while Roman (Xóran) and John (Ash/Caleb) handled Mayhem. Sophie will likely handle Mayhem until Steph comes back, as Maquia in a fight mostly heals and shoots.

Oh goodness, were the critical hits and misses fun. Maquia’s botched Major Healing spell let to a miss by 1 on an HT roll, making us break out the moral wound rules until Brandon (Josiah) just had Kôštē try to heal Caleb again, which fixed the damage. Mayhem of course smacked his own leg, but Kôštē (Brandon was running her) had two straight critical successes on Major Healing spells.

Xóran defiling the font didn’t do anything that anyone could see, but was entertaining enough to earn him a couple extra CP. He took a few pictures. I'm including them, with his captions lightly edited for grammar and stuff.

Histoplasmosis aka spelunker's lung: a disease for GURPS

I still want to get my diseases article published, so this is only an excerpt. However, it’s the most important one, since it should have been in RPGs since at least Blackmoor. Both the supplement and the game; Arneson was fond of diseases. It’s so damn important that you’re getting D&D stats for it, too.

Quick note about illness in general: if you do adventurer things (swimming, climbing, hiking, fighting), your HT (or whatever) rolls to resist are at -2 or your Encumbrance level while doing those adventurer things, whichever is worse. If you stay indoors and do nothing but sleep, sip soup, and get up to use the porcelain god, you get +1.

Histoplasmosis (Spelunker's Lung)

Histoplasmosis, or spelunker’s lung, is an infection that comes from a fungus that grows in soil mixed with bird or bat droppings. As such, it is common in caves where bats dwell. Since nobody ever heard of a roleplaying game in an underground labyrinth with lots of bat guano, this should be a seldseen disease. It is quite common in the Ohio River Valley but happens throughout the world. To rouse the spores, something needs to disturb the soil.
Patients with histoplasmosis will have a fever and a cough, as the spores get into the lungs. The pain someone who has lost more than a third of his hit points will feel will be in his chest, and maybe a headache. Harsher cases of histoplasmosis can turn into serious lung problems.
Statistics: Respiratory (from the spores of a fungus that grows in bat or bird droppings); HT to resist. 3d+1 day delay; 1 point toxic damage; 12-hour cycle with 12 cycles. Symptoms include coughing and moderate pain (p. B428) after the loss of 1/3 HP, and severe pain (p. B428) after the loss of 2/3 HP. Not contagious.

D&D 3.5e: Inhaled, DC 15, Incubation 3d6+1 days; Damage 1d2 Con.

Game log for 22 November 2015

Dramatis personae

Kim, a thief

Mayhem, a barbarian

Caleb, a wizard

Yémos, a cleric

Anêr, a swordsman

Kúflaug, an orc 

Quid occurrit 

Evening of 7 Párūs, in the Blind Arrow

Caleb kept coughing while it rained that night. A squat woman at the table next to them pointed out the gang, then whispered about something; nobody bothered to find out what.

The next morning, the barkeep, a woman with big hoop earrings, bade Caleb to get out of the Blind Arrow after hearing him cough. He went to the northeast statue, and found that it was stone and chipped. It was of the child Yémos, one of the founders of the village back in 2164.

A well-dressed elf with a blue Mohawk came up to Caleb, and asked if he was going out to work. After Caleb coughed, he elf shook his head. He said his name was Téreru, and he wanted to know why Caleb and friends were there. Caleb said he was only passing through, and wanted to know what books the elf had. The elf didn't know too many, but said that Denôma the sorceress, a hedge wizard, might have good books on magic, as Téreru was only a dabbler.

Kim went out to look for chocolate, but only could find wine. She looked at the southwestern statue, and found it was of stone and moist from dew, and of the poet Eldrêdos, who also founded the village back in 2164, 688 years ago.

Yémos looked at the statue in the northwestern corner, and found it was of another village founder, Dīdótē the bard. Moss was all over it.

Mayhem went fishing in the village well, and Kúflaug went with him.

That night, a man with a splotchy birthmark on his face came up to the gang, and asked in a whisper if anyone knew of a healer or a cleric. He pointed to a big gash on his neck, and said it was from a "mishap." Yémos first dressed his wound, then cast Minor Healing on it, healing much of the damage. The man, who said his name was Kaússōl, was thankful.

Caleb's cough got a little better. Was it the booze? Regardless, Yémos healed him too, and Caleb at last breathed easy.

The next morning, the ground had mostly dried up, so everyone chose to head out after tying up loose ends. First, they looked at the last statue in the southeast corner. It was of Vídē the scholar, who helped found the village, and bird guano covered it. Then, Caleb went looking for Denôma the sorceress. He found her home easily enough, but nobody was home.

Not long after leaving Térrivīš, they went saw a big gang of folks, which was going north to Térrivīš and its oxen were dragging wagons with cages of apes. The heroes gave this crew a wide berth.

The heroes went south with no bother, and camped along the road that night. Early in the evening, Anêr heard a rustling in the grass. Not far away he could dimly make out the shapes of men. Anêr yelled the alarm, and the others started to awaken. After a few seconds, there was a barrage of arrows flying at them, and one hit Anêr in the leg. He pulled out the arrow and came out to meet their foes, who were seven bandits.

As the two sides came nearer to each other, Caleb lobbed a Blast Ball at two in the back. It was one of the biggest blasts he had ever cast (he had a critical success on the casting roll, so it was maximum damage, 18 on 3d). This killed one of the bowmen, and singed two others.

From there, it was the heroes cutting down bandits. One of the bandits rushed behind Kúflaug and stabbed him in the back, but Caleb zapped him with a Sunbolt. Anêr took out two, as did Mayhem. The last two ran, but Mayhem killed one as he fled.

They looted the bodies, and found 7 farthings, 26 pennies, and 8 gold pieces ($271). The next morning, they walked to the village of Drūkûros, and Kim sold the gear for 220 pennies ($880). They bought lunch, and more rations.

Res aliae

Two character points.

We thought Eric was going to join us, but something came up. May he have enjoyed it. He tends to lead the group when hexcrawling, so he is great to have around.

There was a revision in my disease rules that makes it easier to heal if you get bed rest, but harder to heal if you go adventuring. That's why Caleb stayed in the Blind Arrow, but the barkeep didn't have a good reaction roll.

Game log for 8 November 2015

The characters

Kim, thief (John)

Yémos, cleric (John, temporarily)

Mayhem, barbarian (Chris)

Caleb, wizard (Chris)

Anêr, swashbuckler (NPC)

Kúflaug, Orc slave (NPC)

The events

Getting back to the 4th of Párūs, Kim doesn't get the deal she wanted for the cult's items, as the merchant only offered her 40 silver pennies and 10 copper farthings ($130), but she did peddle the weird armor for 92 gold pieces ($1,840). The group chose to first spend that at the Wishing Well tavern over by the West Gate of town.

On that rainy night, they heard a well-coifed woman over at the next table babbling loudly how she didn't think the Lady Lummenólē was all that bad. Kim thought a bit, and remembered that Lummenólē was the Lady of the village and a cleric of Lutōdîvē, the goddess of love. Yémos let Kim know that the followers of Lutōdîvē were a bunch of perverts. Kim shrugged and went on to picking the pockets of the patrons, getting 15 farthings that night.

The next day, they awoke to Caleb coughing. Yémos tried to diagnose what it was, but only could dodge phlegm. They asked the barkeep, who said that there were two clerics in town: Ōrrášus, cleric of Bagóbros near the tavern, and Lady Lummenólē, who lived in Castle Rēláistis, in the southeastern corner of town. Lummenólē was the mightier cleric, but Ōrrášus was nearer and more likely to see Caleb.

So, they walked out into the rain to the Church of Bagóbros, god of crafts and wealth. There they saw Ōrrášus, a tall, pudgy man wearing a dark brown wig. Caleb asked him for help, but Ōrrášus only stared, blinked, then told Caleb not to cough on him. Caleb asked again, and Ōrrášus told him he'd take a look, for a donation, so Caleb handed over 10 farthings. Ōrrášus rolled his eyes, but did look at Caleb, asking him to cough and looking down his throat. Ōrrášus said that it wasn't deadly, but that Caleb should get a few days rest.

So they went back to the Wishing Well, though not after a wagon drove past them and splashed mud and water onto Kúflaug. Caleb rested at a table in the tavern, while Anêr watched Caleb. Mayhem and Kúflaug went fishing down by the docks, and Mayhem got one trout. Yémos and Kim went looking for nuts and berries outside town.

Caleb didn't get any better that night, and the barkeep asked Caleb to say he got his illness from the Pink Moose tavern, lest anyone think Caleb got his illness from the Wishing Well. Kim had seen enough, and he and Yémos take Caleb by the arm to see the Lady Lummenólē. Outside the tavern, a gaggle of pilgrims called loudly for help going to the church of Rōripermónē, the farming goddess, in Órkōn Wall, about five miles away. Kim and Yémos, however, kept dragging Caleb.

After about an hour's walk around the village, they reached Castle Rēláistis, decked out in flowers. Kim holds back a sneeze from the lovage among the flowers, and they ask the two guards before the gate to see the Lady Lummenólē. Again, their first try to get in didn't work, nor did Caleb's coughing, but the guards also opened the doors for 10 farthings. They bade Caleb, Kim, and Yémos to hand over their weapons, and told Caleb to keep away from them.

They walked upstairs as the guards also bade, and waited outside a door, hearing the grunts, screams, and moans of orcs and a woman. After many minutes, two orcs walked out, and asked the gang, "Are you next?" The heroes walked into the room, and met Lady Lummenólē, a slim middle-aged woman, beautiful albeit with silver-grey hair, and wearing little clothing.

She gave Caleb the same diagnosis as did Ōrrášus--more rest--then asked where Caleb had been. He told her he had been at the mines, and no, he had fought no zombies, only skeletons, hobgoblins, and lizard men. She perked up upon hearing about hobgoblins and lizard men, and asked if he had brought back any of the latter.

She had her cook give the heroes a meal of beef stew, then they went on their way back to the Wishing Well, to meet the others who had went fishing again. Caleb kept coughing, and by now his chest was hurting. Yémos cast a Detect Poison spell on Caleb to be sure, but found nothing. They went to bed on the tavern's cots with the rain pouring.

The next morning, Caleb still was in pain, so Yémos cast Major Healing to ease his pain. With that, the gang set out, keen on keeping Caleb away from the smelting in Rēláistis. They chose to head south, to the wooded village of Térrivīš.

In the woods, about midday, the gang met an arrow at each one of them, with both Anêr and Kúflaug taking one to their chests. From out of the trees came nine bandits, with three of them holding back to reload their bows. The archers fled after one of Caleb's Blast Balls, which downed two thieves, and Anêr's sword downed a third. The other three bandits held fast, and fell at the hands of the heroes. Yémos, feeling for them, bound the wounds of the downed bandits, though he couldn't save one. All stripped the six bandits of their goods and wealth, and kept going to Térrivīš.

In Térriviš, a wooded village with a statue at each corner, the heroes unloaded the gear of the bandits and got 957 farthings and 193 pennies ($1,729) for all of it. Then, they went to the Blind Arrow tavern for the night.

Notes

I had rolled for the bandits in the d30 Sandbox Companion, and came up with a number of bandits equal to the size of the party +3, with a level of average party level -2. I applied the latter to the skill levels on the templates in the back of Mirror of the Fire Demon, so wound up with many unskilled goons. I forgot to apply woods cover to their skill for their first shot, but that would have been cancelled out by their Accuracy bonus, which I also forgot to apply; big whoop.

But the real takeaway was just how much treasure they had. According to the d30 Sandbox Companion, I came up with 2,000 cp, 2,000 sp, 500 ep, 6,000 gp, 500 pp, and 12 gems. Even lobbing off a third for the guys who fled, it was still high. I think it's based on Treasure Type A, which is a lot (12,000 gp or so), but meant to be for a whole gang of bandits, which is 20d10 bandits in the Monster Manual. (I'm working on a bunch of posts that will touch on bandits in AD&D, incidentally, so for once, I can remember the Treasure Type of bandits and brigands off the top of my head.) So even lowered from there, the players were amazed, so we all agreed that the loot included what they would get from selling their gear, which I ruled Kim would make sure to do due to the last two blog posts becoming house rules.

That's the lesser issue from the session. The bigger one is that I gave a PC an illnesses. The players have had warning for the last three months or so that I want to try this out, so it was only a matter of enough game time passing before they found out who got sick. The players know what it is, too: histoplasmosis, aka spelunker's lung. It's a bother that someone can get if he goes into caves wherein dwell many bats that shit on the cave floor. Given that description, I'm amazed that I've never seen this in a gaming product before. I found it while researching a Pyramid article on illnesses, and picked it as a test case.

I'm pleased with how it went down. It took awhile for the players to realize that the weather was giving Caleb penalties, and after a few game days I broke down and told them I was applying Rēláistis's Hygiene modifier of -2 to Caleb's rolls since it was low owing to all the smelting that happened there. It led to exploring and roleplaying, but didn't give too much of a problem, since even Minor Healing can heal the HP loss. Caleb still needs to roll for a bit, however, but hopefully the fresh air will help now.