This session took place on Sunday 20 December 2020, and the party consisted of:
Agnes Longtoes (Lv1 Magic User, kindly old lady, Chaotic) - played by Panny.
Anvil (Lv1 Cleric, Acolyte of The All-Glorious Blacksmith) - played by Sam.
Grungebeard (Lv1 Dwarf, gregarious exile from the Flintmason clan) - played by Ollie.
Winnie (Lv1 Cleric, Acolyte of Ygrrd, minor goddess of Hearths & Homecooking) - played by Michael.
Scuttleweed (Lv0 Torchbearer) - NPC retainer.
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| Scuttleweed |
Scuttleweed knows a direct shortcut through the thick forest of the Dolmenwood, so their journey to Stonehell Canyon is a few hours quicker, and they arrive by early afternoon. The canyon is quiet and peaceful, and they head straight for the entrance hall and descend the spiral stone steps into the depths of Stonehell.
In the ruined lobby Grungebeard hears faint voices speaking a Dwarvish dialect coming from the SE corridor, and the party investigates. Grungebeard calls out a greeting and they are met by a female dwarf carrying a torch, who introduces herself as Snorri Broadshoulders, a Dwarven architectural scholar. Snorri takes a liking to the party and invites them to follow her - telling them to avoid a concealed pit trap in the corridor ahead.
(DM's note - I made a 2d6 reaction roll here to decide Snorri's disposition to the party; the higher the roll the more friendly she would be, the lower the roll the more hostile she would be. I added a +2 bonus to the role because Grungebeard, a fellow dwarf, had been courteous and polite. The role was a 14, as good as can be, so I played Snorri as being overwhelmingly receptive and welcoming.)
Snorri leads the party into a breathtaking chamber full of exquisite Dwarven stonemasonry - statues and pillars all lit by multiple lanterns, with a group of Dwarven architects taking notes and sketches. Snorri welcomes the party and breaks out a bottle of Dwarven brandy, which is soon polished off and everyone becomes the best of friends. Snorri explains that she is researching the ancient Dwarven architecture in Stonehell, and that her research mentions a Dwarven chapel down on the 2nd level. She offers a payment of 200gp for information regarding the exact location of the chapel.
The brandy loosening her tongue, Snorri also offers a candid opinion of the inhabitants of Stonehell's upper levels: the Kobolds are vandals and nuisances who have no appreciation of fine architecture. She warns the party to avoid the Orcs to the south.
The party head back to the main central stairway and run into 8 Fire Beetles scavenging through the rubble. The party head through a rotting wooden door to the NE, and the beetles take an interest and begin to follow, cautiously.
(DM's note - every two turns I roll a 1d6 Overloaded Encounter Die. The result of the roll decides whether something happens to the party as they explore. 1: a random encounter; 2: spoor or evidence of a future encounter; 3: location-specific event; 4: torches go out; 5: lanterns deplete [takes three of these for a lantern to go out]; 6: fatigue - rest for a turn and magical effects expire.)
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| Fire Beetle |
The door opens onto a ruined kitchen. Winnie pokes around in an old hearth and disturbs some mice, who have nested in an old cooking pot. She catches one. Agnes pokes around in a foul-smelling sink and disturbs a Green Slime, that plops out of the rusty tap. The Green Slime is quickly dispatched with fire, and the party move on to a large dilapidated dining hall, followed by the curious Fire Beetles.
(DM's note - I made a reaction roll for the Fire Beetles and got a 5 - unfriendly, may attack. I interpreted that as meaning that the beetles were hungry opportunistic hunters, and would attack if the party got too close or turned their back.)
Searching the dining hall, the party finds 3 large woven tapestries hung upon the walls. The tapestries are a bit mouldy and damp, but probably worth some coin, so the party begin to pull them down. This gives the Fire Beetles the opportunity to scuttle in and attack. Winnie reacts quickly and toasts the mouse over Scuttleweed's torch flame then tosses the toasted rodent snack to the far corner of the room, where the hungry beetles scuttle to chase it.
(DM's note - I thought this was very clever improvisation from Winnie's player, so I rolled a Morale Check for the Fire Beetles, which they failed, making them lose interest in hunting the party when tempted by a freshly-roasted mouse. I think that this kind of quick-thinking improvisational play, supported by Rulings Over Rules, is one of the stand-out benefits of OSR gaming.)
Grungebeard attempts to force open a stuck door with a headbutt. He fails on the first attempt, leaving him with a sore head and bruised pride.
(DM's note - in OSE, rules as written, all doors in a dungeon are stuck when closed, and require a Open Doors check to force open - usually a 1-2 on 1d6. I've always found this kinda weird and interferes with my suspension of disbelief... but I'm gonna rule that doors in Stonehell have a 50% chance of being stuck. Gotta admit... it did lead to an amusing, and dramatic moment of emergent play here!)
The door leads into a room with pristine white-painted walls. Four sooty shapes are on one wall, forming the shape of human silhouettes. The party don't have time to investigate, as the Fire Beetles have finished their snack and begin to stalk once more.
The party circle back into the entrance stairway, and a booming voice bellows from the darkness "FOOLS! FLEE THIS PLACE NOW, BEFORE YOUR BONES REST HERE EVERMORE! HAHAHAHA!". The party need no further encouragement and flee up the staircase to the surface as quick as they can, mouldy rolled-up tapestries hoisted onto their shoulders.
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| Area of Stonehell level 1A explored so far |
Gains: 3 mouldy tapestries (10gp each)
Losses:
Foes Bested: 8 Fire Beetles (120xp), 1 Green Slime (25xp)
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