Hey! I managed to get some time to get some more solo RPG’ing in this past week and have continued the adventures of the surviving former residents of Oldtree village: Agnes the Outlaw Cleric of Nature and Bazel the Minstrel Warrior. They’ve been joined by a Thief named Drusilla, but we will see where her loyalties lie and where the events and dice take us. Here’s their updated character sheets: Agnes, Bazel, and Drusilla. Also here’s a link to the previous posts if you want to catch up: Chapter 1: Part 1, Part 2 Chapter 2: Part 1, Part 2 A quick note: I’m playing around with formatting a little bit. I’m not getting too crazy but I decided I’d put my “author/out of game” thoughts in italics. Just to help break it up a little bit. I thought about separating the narrative and mechanical text with colors or something, but in a lot of places, namely combat, they’re pretty intertwined so I’m not going to worry about that right now. Also I don’t have a map or too many pictures for this one, not sure if that matters to anyone but, yeah. Well, let’s get into Chapter 3! The ToolsChapter 3!Having been saved at the expense of Prudence’s life, Drusilla takes Agnes and Bazel to her village outside the crater valley to warn her people of the dwarves’ possible plan to assault the village with their “guns” and also to find someone who might know a thing or two about said guns. Using 5e DMG to get some info on Drusilla’s village: Race Relations: Don’t think I need to roll, I think it’s safe to say there’s tensions with dwarves, considering the conflict they’ve been having with the insane valley dwarves. Ruler’s Status (d20): 12: Mysterious, anonymous cabal Notable Traits (d20): 14: Site of a mythic or magical event Known For Its (d20): 19: Strong Drink Current Calamity: Also don’t think I need a roll on this, they’re kind of at war with the valley dwarves. What’s the name of the village, FantasyNameGenerators.Com? Silverhorn. That sounds like it gels with what I rolled up with the DMG. This village is sounding interesting to me and I want to flesh it out a little bit more, even if it winds up not being all that significant to the party. While this is a solo play of an RPG, it’s also a little bit of a creative writing exercise for me. Also I find this sort of thing fun. What’s up with the ruling cabal (which I’ll from here on out call the Conclave)? Wand, Crown, Target I need more for that target tag. Random event button gives me: Bestow, Impressive, Chaos. Okay, a little something more to work with there. Is membership of the Conclave for life or is there a term? Lifetime (d20): 10 Term (d20): 7 The mythic/magical event? Skull, Wand, Shield So, here’s what I’m coming up with: This place is more like a small town, or at least a little bigger than a typical village. The Conclave is indeed a little mysterious and anonymous. Its nine members serve for life, and when a new one is needed they are selected from nominees put forth by landowners in the town. Those who are chosen are contacted in secret, and they must keep their membership secret lest they be exiled to the valley. Members do know who each other are, I think. The Conclave’s existence stems from the mythical event that happened roughly (5d100) 219 years ago. In the prehistoric past, or so it goes, there were two moons: the one everyone sees and knows today, and a smaller green moon. The gods battled for it, but their fighting only destroyed to green moon, and it broke into countless pieces. One piece fell to the earth, creating the crater valley. Apparently strange creatures and ruins were on the moon chunk. Time and erosion happened, and the stories passed into legend. After many years, the people of the small settlements that had formed around the crater began to die off from sickness and madness. Those who populated the small village that would become Silverhorn needed to evacuate their land, but lacked the resources for such an exodus. Then, 219 years ago, a group of nine employed what magics they could to try and discover a cure or something to help neutralize the effects of the greenstone. They raided the ruins, explored the valley, and experimented on what they found. A strange thing was found deep in a cave, perhaps a creature produced by magic and evolution, or maybe some creation of the gods leftover from the battle over the green moon. It was akin to a giant snail, except its shell was like a pointed, spiraling horn of silver, and the inside was an alien amalgamation of the biological and mechanical. While this thing did not seem alive, it projected some kind of life force. It was excavated and brought to the village, and the sickness and madness ended. The people from other settlements flocked to the growing village, and it became known as Silverhorn. The thing stands in the center of town to this day, a tower projecting protection from the greenstone’s corruption. The nine saviors found themselves in a leadership position, but did not like the attention. They hid in the silver tower, each of them secretly replacing themselves with other people as they slipped away to live out their days elsewhere. Thus began the tradition of the anonymous Conclave. Now, years later, the thing that is the SIlverhorn Tower has been studied for generations. The Conclave has a goal aside from governance: they want to somehow synthesize the greenstone and materials from the Silverhorn into something of a weapon, to rid the region of the greenstone and make a play for control over the province, creating a new kingdom. This is not necessarily a goal formed of malice, however. The greenstone is a problem, directly or indirectly, for all that live in the region. Completely neutralizing or destroying the stuff would be beneficial, and harnessing whatever eldritch force the greenstone possesses would make powerful weaponry, or fuel invention in general. Also throughout this whole time they developed some seriously strong and tasty carrot whiskey. Okay, that got a little more in depth that I was planning, but hey, I enjoyed writing it. We’ll see if it winds up being significant in any way to the adventure, tho, lol. Is there a random event on the way to Silverhorn? Yes (d20): 13 No (d20): 16 So, having lost their friend, Agnes and Bazel remained mostly silent and grim, aside from some occasional mournful humming from Bazel. Drusilla felt awkward, not knowing how to be, and so made small talk here and there regarding the region and some of the limited history she knew of her town. Neither Drusilla nor Agnes and Bazel had heard of each other’s lands. After an uneventful (1d3: 1) day, they reached the town of Silverhorn. How do the guards at the town gates react to the group? Aloof (d20): 8 Hostile (d12): 3 Happy to see Drusilla (d12): 2 Random Event (d4): 4 They pass through the gates without incident. “We must go to the Silverhorn Tower and inform the Conclave of what happened in the valley. It might be difficult to get an audience, but they have to be told,” Drusilla says. Are they admitted to the tower? Yes (d12): 1 No (d12): 2 Does Drusilla have a bad rep/trouble with the law? Yes (d20): 4 No (d12): 11 Why aren’t they admitted then? (Forgot to take a screenshot) Deactivate, Gaudy, Locals Too many people trying to act important/gain favor lately, no one is allowed without an appointment. The group enters the small building acting as a lobby attached to the tower. They are eyed suspiciously by the guards. A clerk sits at a large desk on a raised platform against the back wall. She is a heavy set woman, pretty but unsmiling with blonde hair. “Do you have an appointment?” she asks the group, looking at their disheveled state disdainfully. “No, but we come bearing news regarding the dwarves in Crater Valley, they may be planning to attack the town!” Drusilla says. “The Conclave must be informed of this, they have new weaponry and-“ The clerk cuts her off. “Yeah, yeah, the crazy dwarves are always wanting to attack us, like I haven’t heard that before, look, you gotta have an appointment, too many folks taking up too much of the Conclave’s time on silly stuff. I have an opening for…” She goes on, listing some times several days away. The three adventurers share a look, and Agnes steps forward, placing the gun on the desk in front of the clerk. “I am not from your lands. Yesterday I watched this weapon kill my friend. I have seen battle, and believe me, the dwarves will decimate this town if you are not prepared. Your Conclave will see us now, I am sure,” she says DC 14 Personality check: 17 The clerk’s eyes widen and she nods silently, unsure of what to make of these people but knowing they mean business. She nods to a nearby guard and stands up. “I will go see who is available,” she says, and leaves the room. After several uncomfortable minutes of exchanging looks with each other and the guards, the clerk returns. “Follow me,” she says. She leads them into Silverhorn Tower. The walls seem constructed of strange material, reminiscent of insect carapace arranged in odd mechanical configurations. Making their way along a curved and gently sloping hallway, they come to a set of double doors, and enter a large, round room. Surrounding the room is a raised platform with nine seats. The chamber is lit by strange glowing bulbs in the ceiling, but the platform and seats are dark. How many Conclave members are here? 1d4: 2 Two adjacent seats on the far side of the room are filled by robed and hooded figures. The clerk ushers them in and leaves, closing the door behind her. Two guards stand on either side of the door. “So, we have some strangers bearing even stranger weapons and ill tidings. You have our attention,” a male voice sounds from one of the seated figures. Drusilla steps forward. “Honored Conclave,” she says with a slight bow, “Thank you for seeing us. I am Drusilla and was out checking my traps near the valley a few days ago when I was ambushed and captured by a group of the valley dwarves. I was held prisoner and, while I don’t speak the dwarvish language, I saw them examining maps of the region and indicating Silverhorn as a target. They were confident in their success because they had found a number of these weapons, I’m not sure where.” Okay, now, I didn’t think of this last time, but surely they would’ve thought to grab as many of the guns as they could carry? I’m going to say they did, because why wouldn’t they? How many guns were there? 2d20: 21 How many did they manage to grab (on top of the 3 they have)? 1d12: 11 How many extra bullets did they grab? 1d100: 33 Drusilla relates the events that occurred involving the party, including Prudence’s part in slaughtering a good number of dwarves. She gives a guard one of the guns to give to the Conclave members, who examine it. “This is stressful news indeed, and we are thankful that you brought it to us. Yet you say many of them were killed by your late companion, but that there are more of these… Guns, you called them?” “From what I could understand, that’s what the dwarves called them, yes.” “It also sounds like you may have slain the one who held the knowledge of these things as well. However, we will be on guard…” The other hooded figure speaks, this time it is a feminine voice. “Take what you have of these weapons to Hagwin the Elf. He is really our only hope of understanding these weapons. Also, we would conscript you, Drusilla, and you two travelers to aid our militia in training with these weapons, being that you have seen them used first hand.” Conscription? Are Bazel and Agnes cool with this? Yes (d20): 5 No (d20): 16 “Conscript?” Bazel asks incredulously. “That's not why we're here. We’re not even citizens of this town, you have no right to do so!” “So you would come and warn us of chaos and doom and then just leave us to figure it out? Very well, if you refuse we will forcibly confiscate what we wish from you and exile you back into Crater Valley to fend for yourselves among the murderous dwarves and mutant beasts, and our militia will have orders to treat you as enemies and kill you on sight. Is that fair?” the feminine voice responds. The two guards are now very attentive, their hands on their swords. Do Agnes and Bazel fight their way out of this? Yes (d20): 12 No (d12): 10 Agnes and Bazel look at each other and simultaneously pull out their weapons. Initiative! Agnes: 9 Bazel: 19 Drusilla: 19 Guard 1: 4 Guard 2: 7 Conclave Male: 6 Conclave Female: 16 Town Guards have 5 HP, AC 11, and +1 to their attacks with short swords (1d6 damage). Round 1 Bazel turns and fires an arrow at the Guard behind him (Guard 2). Attack: 13, 6 damage The guard falls to the ground clutching at the arrow in his neck. How is Drusilla reacting? Team Silverhorn (d20): 9 Team Adventurers (d20): 5 Drusilla pulls out Prudence’s sickle and makes a strike at Bazel! Attack: 9 And misses. What is the female Conclave member’s deal? Is she… A wizard (d20): 18 An artisan (d20): 16 A hunter (d20): 16 A politician (d20): 4 A merchant (d20): 6 What level wizard is she? 1d4: 3 Just give me a moment while I head on over to the Purple Sorcerer and generate a level 3 wizard… Okay. The female Conclave member stands from her seat, pointing a finger and uttering an arcane phrase! Scorching Ray: 13 Smoke comes from her finger, but nothing else. Agnes points her scimitar at the apparent wizard and shouts “Silence!” Word of Command: 20 Conclave Female Will Save: 18 The Conclave member makes no more sound, and won’t for 1d6+CL: 4 turns! So what’s the male Conclave member’s deal? A wizard (d20): 8 An artisan (d20): 6 A hunter (d20): 8 A politician (d20): 20 A merchant (d20): 15 The Conclave male makes to hide behind his chair and sneak out through a secret passage… DC 10 Stealth check: 10 He goes unnoticed in the commotion. The second guard, seeing his colleague killed and a Conclave member being overtaken by these strangers must make a morale check! Will Save: 9 He opens the door and runs out! How long till he comes back with help? 1d10: 9 rounds With how many guards? 2d4: 7 How will Agnes and Bazel get out of this?!
Find out in Part 2 of Chapter 3! This was a lot of narrative and backstory, but that's just kind of how the dice fell/the story went. So much for Drusilla joining the party! I'm thinking part 2 should have more action, being that I let these two attack town leaders in essentially the town hall. In the middle of the town. Nice. We'll see who survives! Honestly though I'm pretty sure I've done something similar as a player in a group game and had players in my group game do it too. So, just par for the course, right? Thanks for reading, hope to see you next time.
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