Into the Odd solo - Part VIII : εὐοῖ σαβοῖ !

The chambermaid shows the explorers through the twisting passages of the old castle. Aurélius charges out in front of the band, in an attempt to assuage his conscience -- he shouldn't have given up trying to break out of his room so easily. Perhaps the skeletons were just part of his awful dream, brought on by the dual-edged sword of indigestion and conscience. Yet, he must admit, he's never felt quite such an overpowering longing for a single place before, and try as he might to forget it, the image of the poison shop seems impressed upon his grey matter.

[As I 'm playing without a map, I'm using the Oracle to determine what happens between goals. I'll ask the same question each time, improving the likelihood by one step after a successful encounter (or indeed raising it after a disaster). So, then:

Q: Can they get to their goal without encounters? Unlikely (5+): O2 C6 - No.

Encounters are all determined by random pictures, as it takes less time than writing up encounter charts.]

No sooner has the chambermaid indicated a door but Aurélius has thrown it wide and is charging through. Thus it is that he runs right into a group of four soldiers.

        ST DX WP HP
Paul     7  9  8  2 musket
Jules    6  9 14  5 musket
Arthur   7  7  7  1 sword
Charles 13 10 11  6 sword

[The soldiers' leader is Charles. Aurélius is leading the PCs at the moment, so he makes the WIL save for initiative: 8=success.]

There is a brief moment of panic as the two groups realise who they are facing, and then the explorers fall upon their hapless foes.

Randeep's sword flashes, and the first of the musketeers falls at her feet [Paul takes 5 damage, leaving him with 4 STR; he failed his save against critical damage].

Aurélius swings own blade in an overhead arc, but the second musketeer catches the blade on the barrel of his gun [4 damage puts Jules at 1hp].

Fridoline lunges at the nearest swordsman, and runs him clean through [Arthur takes 6 damage dropping him to 2 STR, and he too fails his save against critical damage].

The officer in charge of the unit barks out an order, « merde alors !», which must be the pre-arranged signal for retreat, for that is just what he does. The other soldier left standing follows his captain, and the two disappear down a side passage at full speed.

[With losses at 50%, Charles needed to make a WIL save for his unit's morale; he failed on a 19. I gave  Charles and Jules each a DEX save to escape the predations of my PCs, who are not at all above attacking a fleeing enemy from behind. The dice gods gave them a 2&3 respectively, so they escape with their lives.

Q: Will the escapees report the encounter? Likely (3+): O2 C1 - No, and... they will keep quiet, fearing punishment for dereliction of duty.

This was essentially a draw, so I won't be adjusting the encounter likelihood either way.]

The two soldiers have disappeared in the labyrinthine corridors before any have a chance to give chase. The explorers don't waste much time looking for them. The chambermaid is given the fallen soldier's sword, though no one really expects her to fight. Fridoline takes the musket.

"Quickly," says Aurélius, "we must hurry!" And they're off again.

[Q: Can they get to the housekeeper without more encounters? Unlikely (5+): O3 C4 - No, but... trap/hazard rather than encounter.]

"This way," says the maid, "there's a short cut through here..."

Her words trail off as they round the bend, to see the passage blocked by a whirling iron gate.

"Some shortcut!" sighs Fridoline.

"But two soldiers got away," says Randeep. "What if they return with reinforcements?"

"She's right," says Aurélius. "We've no choice. Allez-hop !" And with that, he dives into the rapidly revolving iron structure...

[DEX saves are required to get through unharmed. The trap does 1d8 damage otherwise. This means it's also time to roll up the maid (as a 1hp companion; she's even (very coincidentally) got a sword).]


the chambermaid
str 15, dex 10, wil 4, hp1
sword (d6)

... and emerges unscathed on the other side. Randeep follows, leaping gracefully through. Fridoline follows suit, but makes a terrible error in judgement. The whirling iron bars slam into her, knocking her senseless. She get caught in the gate, and ends ups spinning round and round, hanging from it in a tangle of limbs and iron. [She took 5 damage, dropping her to 8 STR; she failed her save to avoid critical damage.]

"Fridoline!" gasp her companions, as they watch her revolving helplessly.

"We've got to pull her free!" says Randeep.

"I'll try to stop the mechanism, if you can disentangle her from it," replies Aurélius.

[He needs to make a STR save to stop it. If he fails, he takes 1d8 damage, but there's a 50-50 chance of it getting stuck with him in it. If he succeeds, Randeep needs to make a STR save to pull Fridoline off before Aurélius can hold it no longer. If she fails they all take 1d8 damage and 1d4-1 of them will remain stuck.

But the dice came up a 2 and a 1.]

The chambermaid cannot bear to watch as the explorers attempt this most desperate manoeuvre. But the ease and finesse with which Aurélius leaps in to halt the whirling mechanism is exceeded only by the deftness and agility that Randeep displays in freeing her trapped comrade. By then Aurélius can strain no more against the terrible machine. He lets go as he falls back into the passage.

"Please," begs the chambermaid, looking across the whirling iron bars, "don't leave me behind." She counts ten and takes a great leap... and comes through the other side in one piece.

Aurélius takes up the unconscious Fridoline in his arms. "We mustn't tarry," says he.

"I agree," says Randeep, taking charge of Fridoline's musket. "Where to next?"

"Hmmm, let's see," says the maid. "I know: this way!"

[It was a successful encounter resolution, so Unlikely drops to 50/50.
Q: Can they get to safety without more problems? 50/50 (4+): O2 C4 - No, but...]

The chambermaid leads them through another maze of corridors. The walls are a uniform series of hardwood panels, which nearly conceal the occasional chamber doors they rush past. Soldiers could appear from almost any direction, but the brave maid waves away the explorers' concerns with a casual gesture. Then finally she stops before a door, indistinguishable from all the rest, and opens it. "We can rest in here a moment!" With no choice but to trust her, the explorers duck inside, and she shuts the door behind.

The room is some sort of forgotten chapel. Heavy velvet curtains conceal the walls, and disappear up to a high ceiling, constraining the room and making it feel somewhat claustrophobic. Scattered here and there are bronze tripods and great drums. The dust of aeons lies thick upon the floor and furnishings. The chapel is in almost perfect blackness, but a dull gleam comes from one corner. The eerie glow waxes before the explorers' astonished eyes, as the light streams down upon the altar, making the shadowy figure of a hand appear upon the holy-of-holies.

"Where are we?" whispers Aurélius.

"The Chapel of the Hand of Sabazius," replies the frightened maid. "No one ever comes here!  we should be safe, if..."

"If what?" asks Randeep.

[Q: If what? Disrupt / Energy]

"If we can stop the energy of the Sacred Hand from destroying us!"

"What?" exclaims Aurélius, "Why the blazes would you bring us to such an awful place?"

"It's not usually like this..."

"Quiet you two!" snarls Randeep. "Listen. Can't you hear it? Can't you hear the singing?"

"Singing?" asks Aurélius. "What singing? Are you sure you didn't hit your head on the revolving gate, my dear?"

But Randeep can no longer hear her companions, nor even see them. For she is not in the room anymore, not in the castle. She is far, far away, in a rugged and mountainous landscape, standing amidst the ruins of an ancient temple. Though the singing is loud in her ears, and the flutes wail, and the drums pound, she sees not a soul about her, save one -- a beauteous youth in a Phrygian cap beckoning her to him. She walks up to the radiant youth slowly, entranced, and he holds out his hand. She presses her palm against his as the music reaches a crescendo, and then the light overcomes her senses...

"Miss? Miss! You've got to wake up now. Miss?"

Randeep Khartoor is not the sort of woman who is in the habit of lying sprawled on dusty altars and being slapped in the face by domestics. And yet that is just where she finds herself, and for a few moments has no recollection of how she got there.

Aurélius is standing near the pair of them, trying desperately not to burn his fingers as he lights a yellowed altar candle. "She's opened her eyes now," he tells the maid. "That's your cue to stop hitting her. If you know what's good for you..."

"Where am I?" says Randeep. "I feel so strange. How did I get inside?"

"Inside?" asks Fridoline. "Did you hit your head when you fell, darling?"

"You walked across to the altar," explains Aurélius, "to the image of the hand on the wall, and put your palm against it. Then the light stopped shining, and we heard you collapse."

Randeep looks round for a few moments, and the remembrance of what had passed slowly comes over her. She looks down at her hand, which she can see glowing very faintly in the gloom.

"Oh!" cries the maid.

Randeep calmly explains her vision to her companions, who are not sure what to make of it. But she feels the power welling within her -- for good or ill, it is hers to command.

[I had decided that she needed to make a WIL save when touching the Hand; a failure would have released the power upon everyone in the room. The nature of the power was determined as if it were a 1-use spell in Maze Rats (from the Oddpendium); it's a Consuming Blight Vortex. I'll roll 1d3+1 for its Circle when used. Thus is the blessing -- or the curse -- of Sabazios.]

Into the Odd solo - Part VII : « Décidément, nous sommes hors du monde »

Having been shut into their chambers, our hero and heroines immediately set about devising means of escape. It will take more than a locked door and a few guards to stop these intrepid explorers! Or will it...?

Aurélius removes his belt and tries to use the buckle's tang to pick the lock on his chamber door. [DEX save required for the improvised tool: 14=fail] It proves a most unwieldy lockpick, and Aurélius soon gives up and decides to go to bed.

Fridoline, meanwhile, has mad an exhaustive search of her room, looking for any item of possible use. She looks through the wardrobe, under the bed, within the pillows, at the backs of the armoire and vanity, beneath the fainting couch... all to no avail. [But her WIL save=5, success; she'll get a random item from the Labyrinth Lord AEC Miscellaneous Room Contents table, but whatever she finds will be in a more usable state than the table describes. 1d100=38: key! Normally I wouldn't allow something so easy, but that is such a lucky roll I kept it.] Finally, at the back of a drawer she finds an empty carton of bon-bons, in which has been hidden a tarnished brass key! But what is that sound at the window...?

Whilst Fridoline was searching and Aurélius was giving up prematurely, Randeep had determined on a more daring course of action. She goes to the window, only to find it locked. The whole is secured with strong iron bars, so breaking the glass is futile, but the locking mechanism doesn't seem terribly solid. Putting her back into it [STR save=2, success], she soon has forced the window open.

She makes a rope from some bedsheets, which she fastens to the iron bars; it's not a long drop, but a fall would put her directly into the seething, acidic moat. Then she's out the window and creeping along the wall. [DEX save to reach next window without incident: 4=success; Whose window is closer? 1-3 A, 4-6 F; 4]

Randeep has soon inched her way over to Fridoline's window. She raps on the glass soundly. The curtain is drawn aside to reveal Fridoline's quizzical face. "Oh, it's you!" she cries. "Thank heavens!"

"Yes, it's me! Let me in!"

Fridoline examines her key and frowns when it proves far too large for the window lock. She gives the frame a mighty shove [STR save succeeds] and it opens with a groan. Randeep clambers inside her chamber.

"La nuit, toutes les chattes ne sont pas grises," sighs Fridoline.

"This isn't our boarding school," scolds Randeep. "We need to escape this madhouse. Maybe together we can force the door..."

"I hardly think that's necessary. Look what I found!"

"A key! Fridoline, I could kiss you... if we live through this."

"I shall hold you to that. But we're going to need some weapons first. Do you think these chair legs would do if we break them off?"

[Q: Can they improvise clubs 50/50 (4+): O5 C5 - Yes
+Event: PC negative - Ambush / Evil
1d3=Aurélius
I have plenty of pictures that could illustrate this Event, so I looked through the folder and picked the first one whose victim can pass for Aurélius. The monster stats were built off the picture and the following Oracle result--
Q: Why did they attack? Propose / Dreams
NB: monster stats have been moved to the end of the section as they got verbose]

Aurélius is just starting to drift off into sleep when he has a most alarming presentiment of no longer being alone. The moonlight is streaming in his window, whose iron bars cast strange shadows over the floor and furnishings. Some of the shadows seem even to move. Aurélius peers resolutely into the pools of darkness in the corners, but the sight that appears to him causes his blood nigh to freeze. For out of the darkness step four skeletons, their bones gleaming white in the moonlight, and their skulls grinning with malice. Each is flamboyantly dressed in the costume of a highwayman, and they swagger forth to surround the bed, one standing at each bedpost. Each points a bony digit at Aurélius opens his mouth to scream, but emits only the tiniest squeak. The chill of the grave washes over him as the fiends approach, and as they touch him with their dead hands he is overcome.

[chill touch 1d6, affects Willpower after Hit Points instead of Strength.
damage rolls were crap: 4+1+1+1, but that's still all 5hp and then -2 to WIL. WIL save=18, fail]

Aurélius sinks down in the bed. His soul threatens to fly from his body and never return, whilst his mind is beset with such wild fever-dreams as even the most opium-addled of poets have sought after in vain. With each new vista that Morpheos shews our young hero, there is but one constant: a shop, a shop in an upscale quarter of Bastion -- a real place! -- where he had once bought his Liebchen a most divine Gift.

[I rolled a d4 to see where the shop was: 1 Bastion, 2 Burthen, 3 Morve, 4 random hex; he'll be obsessed with going there after the mission is complete.]

skeletal highwayman
str 9, dex 14, wil 12, 4 hp, weapon or chill touch (see below)
Driven to revenge

A skeleton highwayman will be armed with (1d6): 1 sword (d6), 2-3 rapier (d8), 4-5 rapier (d8) & pistol (d6), 6 rapier (d8) & brace of pistols (d8). Against a defenceless enemy, they find weapons unsporting, so instead attack with their Chill touch. The Chill Touch inflicts 1d6 damage; after hit points have been depleted, excess damage comes off Willpower. The target must them make a WIL save to avoid the effects of Critical Damage (and will die without outside intervention as per the Critical Damage rules). Those roused from the deadly sleep will report wild nightmares, and will acquire some sort of obsession based upon the dream imagery. Those who expire from the Chill Touch will rise as a skeletal highwayman on the following evening.

Fridoline tries the old key in her chamber door. It fits! She pushes it open and peeks quickly out into the corridor: there are [1d6=] three guards...

[Q: Wearing armour? O5 C3 - Yes, but... shield armour (1)]

... clad in old-fashioned armour, and bearing sword and shield. he ducks back in and tells Randeep what she has seen.

"Did they seem particularly vigilant?" asks Randeep.

"They're bored castle guards."

"Good. I have a plan..."

Fridoline takes up position against the wall near the door as Randeep sneaks out into the corridor. [DEX save=13, success] She pads stealthily right up behind the nearest guard, who is utterly disregardful to his surroundings. She brings her club down upon his head with a mighty crash, and hears his neck crack with the impact. [the ambush makes her attack Enhanced: 1d12=7; he has (3d6=) STR 5, and (1d6=) 1HP. Even with the point of armour, he's dead.]

The sound of the blow startles the other two guards from their vacant reveries. They run right at Randeep, swords held high. She wheels about and sprints back into the room, [DEX save to make it back before the first round of combat: 14, success] the guards hard on her heels.

She bursts into the room, and Fridoline hesitates just a moment too long [PCs lose initiative].

      ST DX WP HP
Alfie 13  3  7  2
Beth   9 10 11  4

The swordsman takes a fierce swipe at Randeep, but she ducks under it just in time. The swordswoman spots Fridoline coming up behind, and wheels about with a flourish. The point of her sword catches the skirt of Fridoline's gown, and leaves the barest scratch on her thigh. [Randeep took 3 damage, leaving her with 3hp; Fridoline took 2 damage dropping her hp exactly to 0.]

Both women fight back with the fury of an amazon (if I may mix my classical metaphors). Soon the guards lay senseless and bleeding at their feet. [Randeep did 4-1=3 damage to Alfie, putting him at 12 STR; save=14, critical. Fridoline did 6-1=5 damage to Beth, putting her at 8 STR; save=9, critical -- that was lucky for my PCs!]

They waste no time in trading their clubs for swords, and dispatching the guards with them. They search the bodies quickly.

Q: Do they have keys to more rooms? 50/50 (4+): O5 C6 - Yes.
Q: Anything else useful? 50/50 (4+): O1 C1 - No, and... armour even useless  to PCs.
+Event: Introduce a new NPC - Expose / Lies]

One of the guards has a keyring with about two dozen keys to other rooms in the castle -- unfortunately unlabelled, but they have nothing else of use.

When Randeep and Fridoline go quietly into the hall to retrieve the body of the third guard, they chance upon a chambermaid. The girl is so frightened at their sudden appearance that she nearly drops the tea tray she bears. Randeep drags the corpse and Fridoline ushers the maid into the room.

"Please don't hurt me!" cries the maid.

"We weren't really planning on it," says Fridoline cautiously.

"But we'll need some assurances," adds Randeep.

"I can give you information that might help you escape," says the maid, "but I'm afraid that's all I have. Well, that and this tea tray. Biscuit?"

"Yes, please!" says Fridoline. "I'm famished."

The three make themselves comfortable and the maid serves them tea as they converse [this is a short rest, so the PCs regain all their HP].

"The lord of the manor," begins the maid, "isn't out hunting at all. That's just what they always tell new guests. He's really somewhere in the castle dungeons, and won't come out... or can't. I'm not sure. But the task they have set you -- to recover the arcanum -- that isn't for him. They intend to use its power against him somehow. You're not the first group of explorers who've been sent forth. But none of the others ever return for their friends."

"We're seeking a group of three lost explorers," says Randeep. "Perhaps they have fallen into this same trap. A Captain Thumbscrew, Miss Wolverhaven, and a giant axeman called Murt."

"Sorry, miss. No one like that has been here."

"Then we need to leave here at once," says Fridoline. "We cannot afford to tarry."

"Please take me with you!" pleads the maid. "I know the castle inside and out, and I know where your three friends are held. I want to escape this awful place just as much as you do."

"Here's the deal," says Randeep. "You help get us out of here and we'll bring you along. But betray us and you'll wind up like them!"

"Don't you worry, miss. I just want out. And maybe a good reference."

"Soit," says Fridoline.

[Q: Does the maid know where the PCs' equipment is? Likely (3+): O4 C4 - Yes, but... well guarded.
+Event: Introduce a new NPC - Take / Technology (scientist has taken F's arcanum to the lab)
Q: Does she know where Severin, Wanda, and Gregor are? Likely (3+): O4 C1 - Yes, and... near exit.]

The three hurriedly finish their tea and rush to Aurélius' room. They find him a-bed, thrashing about in the throes of some terrific nightmare. He babbles a few inscrutable words when they wake him.

"Are you alright?" asks Randeep "Can you move? and fight?"

"Here," says the maid, "we saved you a biscuit and some tea." [restores his lost HP.]

"And a sword," adds Fridoline.

"Do we have a plan?" asks Aurélius.

"We need to attack this problem at its source," says Randeep. "We're going to find the housekeeper and make her our prisoner. Then the guards won't dare attack."

"Some will even join you," adds the chambermaid helpfully. "You'll be heroes!"

"I like the sound of that," says Aurélius.

"Excellent," says Fridoline. "Now wipe the crumbs from your mouth and let's get to it."

Into the Odd solo - Part VI : ab ovo usque ad malum

A gong resounds throughout the guest wing of the castle; dinner is served. A group of soldiers armed with muskets appear at one end of the long corridor, blocking any possible egress. A footman appears at the other end, flanked by two armoured swordsmen, and comes to fetch the guests.

"We must go to dinner at once," says Aurélius.

The footman leads the party under guard towards the great hall, but stops short of taking them inside. "I see you're an odd number now," says he. "Wait here a moment; she'll kill us if this isn't done properly..."

He disappears into the great hall, for a few moments, then come out again bearing a sort of mannequin in evening dress. Its velvet coat is heavily brocaded and resplendent with glittering medals. "Right," he says, "Master, Colon, you shall escort Mlle Rossignol in to dinner. Gregor, you shall escort Wanda. The Count himself will lead Miss Khartoor." At this he thrusts the mannequin into Randeep's arms, whispering, "please, just play along!"

The "Count" and Randeep go into the hall, followed by the others. The footman scurries in afterwards, and rushes to the back of Randeep's seat so he can manoeuvre the mannequin like a giant doll, making it pull out the chair and seat the lady before standing by own seat at the head of the table.

Behind the party is but one more pair of guests. A woman of indeterminate age is "escorted" in by a priest, now a dessicated corpse. The ends of a pair of crossbow bolts stick out a bit from his chest, though they have been pruned as well as they might. The woman herself is in scarcely better shape than the priest. Her gown is torn and soiled, her hair bedraggled, one of her eyes is swollen shut, and her hands, though concealed by elegant gloves, are misshapen. A fork and spoon have been lashed onto the gloves with bailing wire. A timid, crouching servant runs behind her to perform the politesses of the priest.

When all have been seated, the Count sits himself. Randeep and Aurelius, seated closest to the Count (but not too close) can just make out the figure of the housekeeper who had met them on their arrival crouching down behind the Count's chair. A sort of long, brass ear trumpet appears over his shoulder from behind, and her voice issues from it, in a tinny and inexpert imitation of her liege.

"My friends, I am so glad you could join me. I fear there is serious business we must discuss this evening, but there is no reason that we should not also enjoy ourselves. Please partake in this magnificent feast that I have had prepared for you, as the Cou-- as my hospitality is justifiably legendary. But I see you do not all know one another. Let me introduce my confessor, de Blangis, and Aline, my hos-- my charge."

A servant hiding behind de Blangis' chair shouts out, "pleased to meet you!" Aline makes only a strained mewling sound.

"And here we have our new arrivals," continues the Count, "Miss Khartoor, M. Colon, Mlle Rossignol, and their serv-- NO! FUCK! Must... keep.. AAAGH! their Junior Expeditionary Members Miss Wanda and Master Gregor. I am sure you'll all get on famously. But I see the first course is served! I hope you like pheasant. I said, the first course is SERVED!"

Some servants rush out carrying silver trays, upon which steams a gooey, mushroom-smelling porridge. The servants do their best to serve it using long forks as if it really were game.

"Hunted them on my own lands. Such excellent sport! Such bountiful hunting! Now, before we eat, de Blangis will say grace."

The servant crouching behind the priest's corpse does a shaky imitation of a high church prayer, but the diction is at odds with his words. "O... O D-domine Iesu Christe, dissimulate, hospites, vos me intellexisse, ne ancilla furens vos omnes necet. Auscultate tamen monitum. Milites cum sclopetis ianuam custodiunt. Nolite furentem obsistere. Cenet, qui velit vivere. In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Amen."

Randeep, Aurélius, and Wanda exchange a knowing glance as all those assembled murmur their Amen.

[It's a WIL save to remember one's Latin under duress. The rolls were R8, A2, F19, W14, G15, so only three made it.

In case the reader has missed their own WIL save, the false prayer reads thus: "Lord Jesus Christ -- pretend, guests, that you have not understood me, lest the insane maidservant kill you all. But heed my warning. There are soldiers with rifles guarding the door. Do not oppose the madwoman. You should dine if you wish to live. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen."

To get through the first part of the dinner without incident, those who did not hear the warning will need to each make another WIL save. Failure necessitates rolling a d6 and consulting the table below to see how badly their faux pas is received. Another character -- determined at random -- can try to step in and make a hasty excuse to save the situation before the d6 is rolled, requiring a WIL save of their own. Failure means both characters suffer the same result. No one can step in more than once.

d6 result
-- ------
1  breach of etiquette goes unnoticed
2  laughter and derision
3  severely castigated (d8 WIL damage)
4  boiling water cast in face (d8 damage)
5  "dessert" poisoned (d8 damage to STR and DEX)
6  firing squad

Survivors will move on to the business part of the dinner.]

The guests set about eating the unappealing slop as best they are able. Servants dressed in simple black like stagehands rush in to manipulate the arms of the corpse-priest and mannequin-Count, so that they too join in the repast. Every course is made of the same horrid gruel, no matter what name it is given: salmon, foie gras, venison, soup, the cheese plate, sorbet, &c &c. The guests stomach as much as they can, and are relieved to see that the kitchen servants return to clear each course well before anyone has finished a plate. Whilst they are dining, must also endure polite conversation.

"After dinner," says the Count, "and the troublesome business which must follow, perhaps we can retire to the parlour. The gentlemen, of course, must retire for cigars and brandy. But then afterwards perhaps we shall have an entertainment. Do you play, Miss Khartoor?"

"Only middling well," admits Randeep, "not nearly so well as our dear Fridoline."

"In circumstances such as these," says Fridoline, "I can't see playing at all!"

"Circumstances? What circumstances?" asks the Count abruptly.

"What she means," says Randeep hastily, "is that Wanda does so outshine us both on the pianoforte. We should rather sing a duet to Wanda's accompaniment."

[Fridoline failed her WIL save (1d20=15); 1d4=Randeep tries to save the situation. 1d20=9, success]

"And I should very much like M. Colon to grace us with a song," says Wanda. "He has the sweetest tenor. Don't  you agree?"

A general murmur of approbation greets her remark. Aurélius almost forgets to deflect the compliment with a self-deprecating witticism, but fortunately he remembers to do so. There is much jocularity as he compares his unstudied warblings to the dying groans of a criminal swinging from the scaffold.

The laughter subsides, and they are at risk of passing the meat course in silence, but the Count remembers another important matter for discussion.

"Quite an autumn we're having," says he.

"Oh, my, yes," says Fridoline. "It is rather quite an autumn. Such weather!"

"Indeed," adds Aurélius, though his soul nearly dies to do so.

"How can one tell," asks Gregor. "This far out in the Deep Country...?"

Randeep kicks him under the table and he swallows his next remark, but Wanda jumps straight in.

"Oh, Gregor, you think everything outside of Bastion is the Deep Country. Just because we're so far outside of Bastion, and away from all proper society..." Wanda's voice trails off as the enormity of her phrasing strikes her ears. Her eyes start to brim over and tears stream silently down her cheeks.

[Gregor's WIL save was 1d20=13, failure. 1d3=Wanda tried to help; 1d20=18, also a failure; 1d6=5...]

Gregor hurriedly cleans his plate, and asks if he could have a second helping of the wonderful veal, and could someone please convey his gratitude to the chef. But in his heart he knows that he cannot recover from his misstep, and he dreads the housekeeper's mad revenge.

The reckoning comes with dessert. As Gregor and Wanda take the first few bites of the delicious sorbet, they begin to choke and sputter. Both fall to the floor, convulsing wildly for a few moments, and then lie still.

A pair of servants examine them cursorily, holding a mirror to their nostrils, before one of them pronounces the verdict. "They're still alive, ma'--...y Lord."

"Take them away to where they belong," says the Count.

[Wanda lost 6 STR and 7 DEX to the poison; Gregor lost 5 STR and 1 DEX. Both failed a STR save and passed out from the damage. Gregor is now 1 STR point away from death.]

Mlle Aline meeps out something which may be goodnight, or pleading a headache, or an entreaty to be put out of her misery. The Count asks the priest if he will see the young lady to her room. The explorers bid their bonnes nuits to the pair, and Aline drags the corpse from the room.

"Well, then," says the Count, "let us get down to business."

[Now the PCs are ready for the business portion of the dinner. There will be three rounds of conversation, using UNE to select the topics. The Conversation Mood starts at Neutral. Each round requires a WIL save from each PC to determine if the mood changes, according to the following table.

saves mood
----- ---------
 3/3  +1 step
 2/3  no change
 1/3  -1 step
 0/3  -2 steps

I'll use the final mood to determine what happens at the end, after the proposition/extortion has been made.]

"What about Severin, my lord?" asks Aurélius. "His note said you would speak to us concerning him."

"All in good time," says the Count. "He is safe -- for the moment. But first there are some things I must know. Why have you come here to my castle? Who should have sent you hither?" [inquisitive - petition - previous scene]

"We are searching, my lord," says Randeep, "for a lost band of explorers. Their disappearance is most untimely." [WIL save=3, success]

"I see. And what were they exploring?"

"We aren't exactly certain, my lord," replies Aurélius, "but we were told they were last seen going into the swamp." [WIL save=6, success]

"The swamp? Why would they chance such a dangerous path?"

"I suppose there just isn't very much to explore on the plains," says Fridoline, "unless you like grass." [WIL save=7, success]

Fridoline freezes for a moment as she realises that she forgot to address the Count with the proper honourifics, but a moment later comes the sound of laughter.

[They all made their saves, so the mood improves one step to Sociable.]

"Well said, my dear," says the Count. "But tell me, who is it that sent you forth? You must have a patron of some kind." [knowing - speech - allies]

"My lord," says Randeep, "It was just a friend in Burthen--" [WIL save=19, failure]

"No one has friends in Burthen! You must be beholden to this person somehow."

"Oh, certainly, my lord," says Aurélius hurriedly. "Quite right. Though, whilst our patron is quite above us in station, and we are most certainly pawns in some game or other, yet is our relationship more amicable than not." [WIL save=2, success]

"I see. and does this intimate have a name?"

"Athanasius Pernath," says Fridoline, plucking the name of an old beau at random from her memory. [WIL save=2, success]

"I don't know the name."

"He's no one, really," says Fridoline with a sigh. "My lord."

[Only two successful saves; no change.]

"Small wonder he lives in Burthen, then! But it is time to discuss business of our own. I am confident that I can offer you much greater remuneration that your erstwhile friend." [insane - façade - rewards]

"Indubitably, my lord," says Randeep. "Why, the hospitality of your court and personal largesse are nigh proverbial!" [WIL save=13, success]

"Dear lady, you are too kind!"

"Of course, the safe return of our servants," says Aurélius, "would be a reward beyond measure." [WIL save=7, success]

"And preferably with all of their limbs intact," adds Fridoline. [WIL save=12, failure]

"We shall see."

The housekeeper's hand reaches up from behind the table and places a silver bell in the mannequin-count's hand. A servant hurries as it sounds, and unfolds a map onto the table.

"Please examine this map, an relic of ages past, when this my magnificent castle was but a simple keep, and the earliest noble of my line -- a mere castellan! -- fought to defend the borderlands from the predations of inhuman hosts. And in these ancient times was forged an item of immense and awesome power: the Brank of the Hovering Sentinal."

"A brank?" asks Fridoline. "What is that?"

"A scold's bridle. Or more anciently, 'a brydle for a curste queane'."

"Oh! Like we saw in that club you took us to that one time in Soho--"

"Yes, dear, like that," says Aurélius quickly. "But where, my lord, can we find this item on your map? For I assume it must be found."

"Very astute," says the Count. "You may find it in the place indicated on the map with an 'X', of course.

"I don't see..."

"There! That must be it," says Randeep. "In the name of the Swamp."

"Indeed," says the Count. "Some time ago -- much closer to our time than to the time of this map -- engineers from Bastion were employed to drain Abrasax Swamp. They built great treatment plants, marvels of engineering and architecture, and in each was concealed an artifact of supreme power. Today, but one of these great edifices remains. To this place must you go, and return to me the Brank of the Hovering Sentinal. I give you a fortnight to return. Should you not, I shall slay one of your servants, and keep the others here as companions for Aline. But bring me the Brank, and they shall all be freed, and I shall award you a further 3 guilders for your troubles."

[Notes and die rolls for the above:

To set up the request I rolled up a random mission on the tables I made in part 3. I rolled 1d3 (instead of 1d6) on the compensation table to represent a generous offer, with the proviso that all parties involved know it's a lie.

Mission: 1d6=4. get me arcanum X from place Y
Compensation: 1d3=2, (1d4=) 3 Guilders

Place Y is  in a random hex: broken land hex 40.43
hex contents: 1d12+15=22, ruins. I had decided that the next dungeon uncovered would be an industrial ruin, so here it is.

Arcanum: random picture from my Items folder

I used the magic item tables in Maze Rats (in the Oddpendium) to determine the arcanum's basic properties: effect (Hovering) + form (Sentinal)

Bastion absolutely contains a Soho. It may contain several.

Since the dinner conversation ended with a Sociable mood (but no better), the PCs earn a warning (below), using the d30 Sandbox Companion's Table AG9: Theme (from the adventure creation charts.)]

"This trip just gets better and better," sighs Fridoline.

"I agree," interjects Randeep hastily. "What a golden opportunity for adventure we have been given! When may we set out?"

"You leave tomorrow at first light," says the Count. "But I must warn you to beware! for you are not the first band to seek the Brank. Be very careful in the ruins. For though ruins they be, yet are they a place of enormous [d30=] power!"

[Q: What happens after dinner: Delay / Liberty]

Their business concluded, the explorers are escorted back to their quarters by armed soldiers, and locked firmly inside.

Into the Odd solo - Part V : « Loin du noir océan de l'immonde cité »

~ Day 1 ~

It is a wet and miserable day as the explorers set out from Burthen across the vast, forlorn plain. A grey sky glowers overhead. Black clouds advance piteously from the south, harried by the furious winds. The autumnal chill clutches greedily at the travellers' very bones as they plod along, bent almost double against the heartless gale. None of them speak; only the doleful whispers of the wind in the grass give any voice to their small, human frailty. Somewhere in the distance a raven cries, or a solitary wolf howls out its loneliness, or some shit like that.

"I despise pathetic fallacies," grumbles Fridoline at last.

"It is the purple patches that I cannot abide," responds Aurélius.

They meet nary a [randomly encountered] soul upon their journey, which, by nightfall, has taken them to a great stone circle. Randeep goes on ahead to treat with the scarlet-robed cultists who hold the sanctuary [Willpower save succeeds], and secures the party lodgings for the night. The cultists invite their guests to join them in worshipping the Great Rakshasa, but they protest fatigue from the journey, and are left alone without further prodding.

[As before, the third visit to the Order of Liberation will require the PCs to make WIL saves to avoid corruption (which will probably take the form of mutations adapted from Gamma World / Metamorphosis Alpha / Mutant Future). But the stone circle also counts as civilisation; PCs can take a Long Rest here, which automatically counts as the third visit. The cultists are generally helpful and will sell minor supplies from their stores, though won't have much in the way of weapons or armour. Simple food and lodging are provided free of charge.

Q: Do the cult know of the temple in the swamp? 50/50 (4+): O3 C6 - No.]

~ Day 2 ~

The next morning the travellers are treated to a simple meal of fried mushrooms and black pudding. They ask their hosts about the missing explorers, and a rumour spreads throughout the circle. One of the brothers does remember them, and comes to give his account. "Oh yes, they did come this way. A lovely group of people, and what an encyclopaedic knowledge of poetry the giant had! They were looking for a way to the coast, but were chased off by the thugs working for that awful priestess in her fortress. They set out into the swamp some five weeks ago. I'm afraid that's the last we saw of them. I do hope they are well. If you find them, give them my warmest regards, and tell them we will always have a place for them here when they need respite from the chaos of the Deep Country -- as we shall always have one for you."

The explorers take their leave of the cult, and are soon slogging through the swamp, looking for any possible sign of their quarry.

[Since GM-me knows full well where the first party are, but player-me must have no idea, I will roll 1d6 to determine which way they proceed from each hex.

If the roll would put them back in a hex they've already explored, the party leader (Randeep at the moment) gets to make a WIL save to avoid them back-tracking. A guide (NPC Expert hireling) would obviate the need for such rolls. Come to think of it, they should probably be making WIL saves not to get lost in the swamp in the first place -- a rule I will wait to impose until they stop moving in random directions.]

After a few hours sloshing through the swamp, the explorers see a figure coming towards them out of the haze. It soon resolves into an old, long-bearded man carrying an axe and firewood. His eyes gleam with an unnatural intensity, but his manner and words are rustic and simple.

"Who are you lot?" he asks.

"We are sent from Burthen to find a lost expedition," replies Randeep.

[She made her WIL save to avoid conflict, so it's time to turn to UNE for the NPC conversation--

NPC Relationship: distrustful
Conversation Mood: cautious
scheming - agenda - power

As he was Scheming, I decided he was not about to reveal his Agenda to get Power, so instead...]

"I ain't seen no expedition," says the old man. "You sure they came this way?"

"We know only that they came into the swamp."

"If you help me carry my wood home, I'll help you find your expedition."

"How could we refuse?"

Each of the explorers take a portion of the old man's wood, and he leads them off through the mire to his hovel, whereat he collects all the wood again and makes to carry it inside. But wait! There is one explorer who finds her load lighter than when she set out; the hermit has stolen Fridoline's Red-oil Stave! [she rolls a WIL save: 1d20=2, success]

"Hey!" cries Fridoline, "that man has stolen my arcanum! Give it back, you wretch!"

"Never!" replies the hermit, and he turns the wondrous stave upon them, spewing slippery red oil on the ground before them [PCs lost initiative].

swamp hermit
STR 8, DEX 13, WIL 11, 10 HP
axe (1d6), hypnotic voice, aura of harmlessness
driven to steal arcana

Randeep, Aurélius, and Fridoline draw their pistols and fire upon the hermit, but the old man seems tougher than a mere mortal. Two of the bullets strike him in the torso, and one grazes his shoulder. All three wounds begin leaking a viscous, yellow fluid. Yet he seems unfazed, perhaps even more defiant as he unlimbers his axe. [The shots did 1d6 damage each: 3+1+3; He still has 3hp remaining].

[Round 2]
Randeep and Fridoline draw their knives and advance on the hermit. Aurélius must content himself with using the butt of his pistol like a club, but as he is turning it round he loses his footing in the red oil, and falls face-first in to the oily muck [Randeep and Fridoline made their DEX saves to cross the oil]. The hermit is ready for his attackers, and takes a swing at Fridoline. She can feel the breeze from the axe blade as it whistles right past her nose, but aside from a momentary shock and a skipped heartbeat, she is unscathed [1 damage leaves her with 1hp]. Randeep and Fridoline pounce on the hermit as he is recovering from the swing, stabbing him repeatedly in gut with their long knives. He shrieks out a few syllables in a tongue older than mankind as he falls [4+5 damage takes out his remaining 3hp and reduces his STR to 2; d20=8 critical damage]. Fridoline stands over the unconscious hermit and plucks her stave triumphantly from his fingers. She buries her knife up to the hilt in his back. As the hermit expires, his body dissolves into a rancid puddle of filth.

[Q: Does he have any treasure? Likely (3+): O1 C7 - No.]

The explorers search the hermit's rude hut, but they find nothing but pile upon pile of sticks. He seems to have had nothing of value save his axe, which Fridoline gives over to Aurélius, saying, "Here. You might find this a more suitable weapon in close quarters. Provided you get that far next time!"

They set out again through the muck.

~ Day 3 ~

The explorers continue their divagation through the fens. At one point they fear that they are walking in circles, but Randeep steers them back to the proper course.

After a long march, the swamp resolves into the great mushroom forest. And in the distance, nestled on a hill amongst the towering fungi, a stout fortress is visible. The explorers approach with some caution, but in the hopes of hearing news of their quarry, or at least securing dry lodgings for the night.

[On the morning of day 3, 1d6=6; the first move was NW. Then 1d6=2, which would have put them back in the hex where they encountered the hermit, but Randeep made a WIL save. So re-rolling, 1d6=6 - into the mushroom forest hex, where the feature roll was 1d30=19: castle/keep/stronghold. Of course the PCs want to explore it, so I made a few rolls.

Q: Who owns the keep? d30=fighter; d30=count
Q: Is a patrol sent out? 50/50: O3 C5 - No.
Q: Is the gate guarded? Very Likely (2+): O1 C2 - No, and...
Q: Can PCs find anyone about? unknown 1d6=3(likely): O5 C3 - Yes, but... all clustered in one place.
Q: Where are they? (the d30 Sandbox companion's chart NPCH: Noble Household Officers makes a good random castle location generator, so 1d30=) in the kitchen
Q: What are they doing? Violate / Allies

I have a good picture (or three) to go along with all this, but I daren't reveal the awful truth until the PCs have discovered it! Besides, they're still standing outside at this point, so back to the adventure...]

The castle is a stout fortress in good repair, and occupying an easily defensible position on a sort of hillock. The drawbridge is down over the limpid moat, which bubbles slowly and exudes a strong smell of acetone. The portcullis is raised, but no guards are to be seen at the gate, nor does any patrol issue forth to challenge the approaching party.

They cross the threshold cautiously, but not a soul is to be found in the courtyard. Aurélius shouts 'halloo!' but a hollow echo is the only response. And yet, certain signs of habitation are all about them. Here a half-drunk cup of tea cools atop a barrel. There a fresh loaf sits, with but a single bite taken from it. Someone's pants are drying on a line in an upstairs window.

They cross the courtyard into the great hall with some trepidation. The hall itself is dark and empty, but a lively hubbub emanates from a door at its back.

[Luck roll: 1d6=1 (most unfavourable)]

As they are walking towards it, the door suddenly opens and a servant emerges. [1d6=]She stops short when she sees strangers -- and armed ones, no less -- in the hall.

[UNE--
NPC Relationship: distrustful
Conversation Mood: neutral
friendly - support - allies]

"Ecastor!" cries she in alarm. "Who are you?"

"Be not afraid," says Randeep, hastily putting away her pistol. "We are searching the land for a lost expedition, and happened upon this castle. We would impose upon your lord's hospitality, if we may."

"Of... of course."

"When may we meet the ruler of this place?"

[Q: When? (1d4) 1 now, 2 at dinner, 3 tomorrow, 4 never; 3=tomorrow]

"The Count is out hunting in the forest. He shall probably not be back before late. Come, let me show you to the guest chambers. I'll ring for one of the below stairs maids to quarter your servants."

"Servants!" shrieks Wanda. "Well, I never!"

"We run a proper house here. Count yourself lucky you won't be shown to the stables!"

"Excuse me, miss," says Randeep, "but I fear you misunderstand the composition of our group. These are not our servants, rather our comrades-in-arms. Junior expeditionary members, if you will." [WIL save succeeds]

The reluctant maid rings her bell anyways, and shouts some orders at her underlings before turning back to the guests. "I have ordered rooms prepared for you all in the guests' wing, as befits your stations. We dress for dinner here, and you will find adequate clothing in the wardrobes. Also, I've taken the liberty of ordering a bath drawn for each of you in your chambers. Don't take this the wrong way, good ladies and noble sirs, but you do have the air of the swamp about you. You will be summoned to the dining hall in due course."

The explorers are eager to see their quarter, and in truth relish the prospect of a warm bath after their trek.

[So at this point I decided to draw a random picture to set the next scene and determine what (most likely horrible) event was to befall the party. I've got a bunch of pictures that look like them in a folder, and I ended up with the one following. A few moments examination produced the situation below described.]

As each emerges from their bath into their sumptuously appointed chamber, they are struck by a horrible revelation: all their equipment has been stolen as they bathed. Each dresses hurriedly, and they rush to their companions' rooms with the news. But one door of the six remains closed, and though they knock upon it furiously, no answer is forthcoming. Where is Severin?

Then it is that Aurélius remembers seeing a pile of papers on the dressing table in his room that had not been there when he was shown in. They rush back to examine the ominous stack. Aurélius snatches them off the table and unfolds them. The words thereon are written in large, ungainly characters, not in ink but in blood, and there can be little doubt of whose. Aurélius reads the gory missive aloud:

Sorry, chaps, but I've gone and gotten myself captured. And damn it if I haven't already lost a digit to prove that my gaolers are in earnest about the threats they shall most certainly be making on my person should you refuse their demands. As this severed finger makes but a poor quill, I shall close this letter and let them explain all to you when you see them at dinner.

Yrs. &c.
Severin

Into the Odd solo - Part IV : Fresh Blood

Three figures hurry through the nighttime streets of Burthen's warehouse district, scurrying from one pool of gaslight to the next.

"Why did we ever agree to this?" asks one.

"Have we any choice?" responds another.

"Ssshhh!" scolds the third. "We oughtn't discuss this out-of-doors. He has spies everywhere."

"Agreed," says the first, looking at a scrap of paper upon which an address has been written in a spidery hand. "And we shouldn't discuss this in front of the help. Speaking of which, this is the address."

They ascend a soot-stained staircase at the front of an old, crumbling brick warehouse, and rap soundly upon the front door.

[And thus, my next three PCs begin their Into the Odd sandbox adventure. As I mentioned in the last post, I've made a few improvements to the sandbox table.

Movement points & costs remain unchanged:
6 Movement Points per day.
clear: 1mp/hex
mushroom forest & swamp: 2mp/hex
broken lands & mountains: 3mp/hex

There is still a 1-in-6 chance per hex of an encounter. Each new hex explored requires a 1d30 roll to determine its contents, on a more sensible table than the last:

d30   Feature
----- -------
1-15  none
16    single dwelling
17    hamlet
18    village
19    castle/keep/stronghold
20    temple
21-24 ruins
25-30 special

More importantly, I've created Mission and Compensation tables. These will be fleshed out with sub-tables as I get to them. For now, variables will be pulled out of random picture folders or rolled for.

Mission (1d6):
1. find place X
2. take item X to place Y
3. bring me the head of person X
4. get me arcanum X from place Y
5. accompany person X to place Y
6. hunting party

Notes: Places are a random hex on the map; currently unexplored places will automatically have a feature of some kind (roll 1d12+15 on the feature table). Persons may or may not be human. A hunting party is 50% likely to be a hunt for a fantastic beast. The other 50% of the time, the hunting party is chasing after you, Most Dangerous Game style (in which case, no reward is offered).

Post-TPK rule: If your new party roll the same mission as the expedition that was just lost, they are hired to complete the failed quest. Assume 1d6 weeks have elapsed.

So, what mission did my new PCs get?
1d6=2; well, then...
1d6=5 weeks have passed

Compensation (1d6):
1. 2d6 shillings each
2. 1d4 guilders (total)
3. one-use arcanum (each)
4. stock tips
5. owed a favour
6. do it or else

1d6=6; the mysterious employer is certainly a being to be reckoned with.

At some point I will detail the Leaders and their Organisations, but for now I'm just pulling portratits that I've done up earlier out of a folder.

I think three PCs is a good number, but since the last lot of explorers didn't do so well, I'm using the Companions rule to bring the party up to six.

Companions: For small player groups, each player may create one or more companions. Roll their Ability Scores in order and give them 1 hp and a sword." (Into the Odd, p.4)

But lest one think these are nameless, faceless damage-sponges...]

In the back of the painter's warehouse-district studio, Severin slumps down on a settee and heaves a great sigh, drowning out for a moment the hiss of the gas lamps. "I said," he asks, "how much longer until you're finished?"

"One cannot rush Art," replies Gregor without even looking up from his canvas.

"Quite. Only we've already spent your entire commission for that painting, and we're out of money. I spent the last on cigarettes this morning."

"That was the last of our capital?" asks Wanda, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Why, oh why, dear Severin, didn't you at least buy good ones?"

"Wanda, be still!" growls Gregor. "I can't get the folds of your skirt right if you keep moving!"

"You both realise what this means?" continues Severin.

"Oh bother," says Wanda, pouting.

"I can get another commission," says Gregor, "providing you two stop ruining this painting."

"Gregor, dahling," says Wanda, "after that débâcle last season, you were damned lucky to get even this one. Or have you forgotten?"

"Is it my fault if the philistines of this pitiful little town weren't ready for my 'Erysichthon at table'. If I could show in Bastion..."

"Dear Gregor," says Severin, "the whole reason we left Bastion in the first place was to escape the uproar over your 'Thyestes asks for seconds'. Or had you forgotten?"

"Poor Gregor," teases Wanda, "your genius shall be unappreciated in your lifetime!"

"Well, then, I suppose we must count ourselves lucky that we have a career to fall back on."

"I'm glad we're all agreed," says Severin. "Mercenary work it is, then."

"Ugh! mercenary work," sighs Wanda.

"Severin, old chap, if you're finished smoking away the last of our riches, perhaps you'd like to get off your arse and find our swords. They're in here somewhere... I think with the costumes you wore for my 'Procne and Tereus'."

Wanda
STR 11, DEX 12, WIL 14, 1 HP
sword (d6)

Severin
STR 14, DEX 12, WIL 6, 1 HP
sword (d6)

Gregor
STR 6, DEX 8, WIL 6, 1 HP
sword (d6)

Just then comes a rapping at the door. "Since I was getting up anyways..." mutters Severin, rising from the settee.

"I wonder who it could be?" muses Wanda. "If we're just now out of money, it's too soon to be creditors..."

Severin disappears into the foyer for a few moments, then returns with the three new arrivals in tow. "I'm afraid it's worse than creditors, dear Wanda; it's my friends from Bastion, bearing a missive from -- well, you can guess who from. I'd better get those swords. We're going to need them presently."

"Are we to go with them into the Deep Country?" asks Gregor without turning round.

"Oh, dear Gregor," says Wanda, "if you'd but look at them, you'd not need to ask such a question!"

Gregor finally puts aside his brushes and turns about to see the callers. "My god, Severin" says he, "these are your friends from Bastion? What fresh nightmare have you gotten us into?"

And this is who he saw:

Randeep Khartoor
When Randeep Khartoor was thirty she lost the key of the gate of dreams.

Randeep Khartoor
STR 11, DEX 14, WIL 15, 6 HP
pistol (d6), knife (d6), bomb (d12), saw

Aurélius Colon
He could not traverse the gates of ivory or of horn which separate us
from the unseen world without a shudder.

Aurélius Colon
STR 13, DEX 16, WIL 9, 5 HP
pistol (d6), acid, animal repellent, prosthetic hand

Fridoline Rossignol
And no dream is fully a dream.

Fridoline Rossignol
STR 11, DEX 5, WIL 8, 2 HP
hatchet (d6), pistol (d6), bolt cutters, red-oil stave


Next post : the adventure commences anew !

Into the Odd solo - Part III : Huis clos

The explorers return to the crawlspace, use Aldous' magnificent device to make themselves small, and retreat back to the room [6] where they had met the ghoul.

The ghoul is there, sitting on the floor amongst the bones of one of the carrion beasts. Its mask hangs askew to reveal his horrid, gore-stained maw.

[Q: Does the ghoul allow them to pass? 50/50 (4+): O3 C1 - No, and...]

"YOU!" screeches the ghoul as it points an accusing talon at the explorers. "You led me astray by tempting me with this carnivorous delight! And I had been good for so long. You shall pay for this sinful lapse!"

So saying, the ghoul leaps to its feet and springs towards [1d3=] Aldous, bloody claws outstretched.

penitent ghoul
str 14, dex 10, wil 8, 6 hp, barbs 1d6.
Driven to repent, then sin, then repent

[Guess who lost initiative again...]

The ghoul's claws rake down Aldous' chest, shredding his uniform and the flesh beneath it. His cry is cut short, and he collapses to the floor onto a stain of dried blood, which he re-constitutes with his own [5 damage dropped him to  4 STR. 1d20=9, critical damage].

Threnody and Murt step over their fallen comrade, and batter the ghoul with their arms, until its bones crack and it falls to the ground [d6+d8=12 damage, dropping the ghoul to 8 STR; 1d20=17, critical]. But they do not stop there, and soon the ghoul's corpse is indistinguishable from the gooey remains of its last meal.

Satisfied that they have put an end to the unnatural creature, they turn to examine Aldous, and bind his wounds since he has not yet expired. He begs a short pause to steady himself [short rest to regain his hit point; no encounter] but then urges them to leave this charnel house with all due haste.

There is a door on the western wall, half-hidden under an icon of Saint Vinolentia, painted in the neo-vorticist style. Buy rather than admire the expressive brushwork or appreciating the bold use of colour and shading, the explorers merely cast the picture aside to see what awaits them in the next chamber.

[Room 8 - encounter]

The dark, wooden panels lining the walls of this next chamber suggest a fine castle from hundreds of years ago. The trio of figures standing within, each wearing fool's motley, certainly all seem to hail from a bygone era. But, despite their upright posture, they all seem very dead, and bear scars and other marks of the ghoul's predation. These gruesome undead are roused from their numb vigil by the presence of the living, and shamble forward to attack.

undead fools
str 4, dex 14, wil 3, 3 hp, club 1d6.
Driven by madness

[Round 1]
The explorers duck back through door, but Murt has an idea to repel the shambling fools. He takes his flask of fire oil, and tries to hurl it at the floor between the undead, then slam the door in their faces.

[Dex save, 1d20=18, fail]

Instead, he throws the door wide, and hurls the flask nearly at his own feet. He is caught in the eruption of flame, and the pain causes him to black out. One of the undead fools is burnt to a cinder by the flames, but the other two do not even hesitate in their advance.

[Murt took 6 damage, dropping him to 10 STR; d20=11, critical damage. He'll keep burning for 1d6=1 rounds.

The fools took 2, 3, and 5 damage from the fire; the third one failed its STR save, and also succumbed to critical damage.]

[Round 2]
The two remaining fools trundle through the flames and into the chamber, yet somehow Aldous and Threnody are not quite ready for them [lost initiative again... sigh]. The first one deals Aldous a mighty blow with its club, cracking his skull and knocking his soul straight down into the underworld [6 damage kills him]. Threnody get into a scuffle with the other. She comes out of it a little bruised [2 damage puts her at 1hp] but destroys her cadaverous foe [5 damage kills it]. Murt smoulders a bit [1 damage] but the fire luckily does not consume him.

[Round 3]
Aldous' slayer turns his cudgel on Threnody, but it is no match for her own. She lays the fool low with a satisfying crunch of bone [6 damage] and suffers barely a bruise in return [1 damage put her at 0hp].

There is no hope for Aldous, but Threnody is able to revive hardy Murt. Some water and a rest [short rest, no encounters] put them not quite to rights, but at least they'll live.

[Their curent status is-
Murt 9 str, 2 hp; Threnody 6 str, 3 hp]

They have, however, had enough of this accursed fallen temple, and they intend to leave forthwith. They search their fallen companion for anything of value, and divide up his knives and rations between themselves. They use his marvellous coil to shrink him down to doll size, and Threnody places him carefully in her travelling pack, so that he may be given a good burial when they are away from here.

Then they retrace their steps towards the surface. [One encounter check per area. There's nothing... until room 1.] Cautious though they be, it's a short walk back to the entry chamber. But when they get there, they are shocked to find it isn't empty. A terrible monster has taken up residence therein, a long, fat, blue-scaled wyrm. It has terrible claws, bat wings, and a gaping, toothy jaw, but the beast possesses no other definite features. An awful smell causes the explorers' stomachs to churn even as it burns their nostrils; some sort of poisonous cloud hangs about the creature, produced in its venomous innards.

faceless wyrm
str 16, dex 6, wil 8, 12 hp, armour 2, foul exhalations 1d8
Driven by hunger

[One of the things I need to do to make the encounters more interesting is providing reaction tables for them (1d6 rolls like in Traveller's 76 Patrons). Here's one I made as a proof-of-concept, though after the fact:

The faceless wyrm...
1. ...wants to eat you
2. ...would like to eat you
3. ...intends to eat you
4. ...shall endeavour to eat you
5. ...earnestly desires to eat you
6. ...feels compelled to eat you

The PCs won the initiative for once.]

One look at the huge beast sends the explorers fleeing back to the safety (?) of the Spider Man's chamber. Fortunately, the wyrm does not follow.

"I fear we're running out of options," says Threnody. "Perhaps we should go back to the stone head, and make an offering of Aldous' miniaturisation coil in exchange for whatever 'servitor' it will give us in exchange."

"Murt not disagree."

They hurry back to treat with the strange carving [room 4]. But as they throw wide the door to its chamber, they are taken immediately aback -- someone has beaten them there!

[A random encounter check put someone/-thing in the room:

the creeper
str 4, dex 17, wil 6, 3 hp, claws 1d6
Driven to murder

The roll on the encounter table that produced the creeper also had a T notation, indicating the creeper posessed Treasure. So it made sense to ask Mythic--

Q: Has the creeper traded its treasure for a servitor? Likely (3+): O6 C2 - Yes, and... 3d6 all attributes, 1d6hp, 1d3-1 armour.]

stone servitor
str 11 dex 9 wil 10, 6 hp, 1d6 fists
driven to serve

There is a sharp-featured, white-skinned, legless creature in the room, who is reaching up to place a glowing necklace into the head's open mouth. The mouth closes slowly on the object, and then the head's eyes begin to glow a warm red. A few moments later, the mouth slowly opens again, this time all the way down to the floor, and a stone man steps out, about a metre tall and bearing some small resemblance to the head itself.

"Excuse me, er, madam," says Threnody, "but if you're finished, we too would like to make an offering to the head."

[She needs to make a Willpower save to parley; 1d20=19]

"Kill them!" says the creeper.

[Round 1]
The stone servitor moves instantly to obey. It moves surprisingly fast for a being of stone, and before she has even raised her club its tiny fists have sent her sprawling across the room [5 damage puts her at 4 STR]. She bounces off the wall and falls senseless to the floor [failed STR save, critical damage].

Murt's axe crashes down upon the little stone man's head with a spark, and bits of chipped stone fly in all directions [8 damage - crit]. The stone man falls over, stunned.

[Round 2]
But the creeper lunges forward with a hiss. Its claws can reach surprisingly high, and the last thing Murt knows is a sharp pain...