The Fellowship

Here's a different sort of play report.  My old friend Brian and I started playing D&D together waaaaaay back.  Earlier this year, we started a play by post in a Google Docs document that we shared.  We decided on AD&D rules, so I rolled up a party and he created an adventure.  I was to play the entire party.  I had been reading Mailer's "Misadventures of the Fellowship of the Bling", so I copied his lead with naming my characters after the leads from Tolkien.

In case anyone is interested, my inspiration can be found here:
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?676099-B-X-Misadventures-in-randomly-generated-dungeons/page3
and:
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?686509-B-X-Misadventures-Fellowship-of-the-Bling-Volume-II

I started with 4:
Legolas, elf fighter 1
Gimli, dwarf cleric 1
Frodo, halfling thief 1
Gandalf, human wizard 1

Instead of a review, I'm just going to copy and paste a bit of it.  Brian is in white while my text is in red.  It's been awhile since either of us had played, and you can see us relearning the rules as well.

Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli and Frodo await...

Motha the bloody is a mysterious person.nobody knows if he's human or what,but he holds various civilians hostage from the village of Vestenborg in his" asylum",situated atop a large mountain about 12 miles away. Rumor says he commands an army of undead in his asylum and captures regular townsfolk to turn them into zombies. After hearing this tale,you decide to investigate by traveling down mostly dusty,barren roads,through some sparse forest,and find yourselves at the base of the very mountain that is rumored to sit Mothas crazy house.The trip to this mountain was fairly uneventful, the biggest excitement being Gimli tripping over rotten treelogs. Now,however, you feel an unpleasant feeling as you ascend the mountain easily, and it doesn't take long to find an ancient looking courtyard at the top, which you enter through a double doorway with one door missing. The courtyard appears empty and is about 500 ft long by 300 ft wide,the walls slowly crumbling away over time. The far side of the courtyard sits in shadow from the dark clouds above. A single raven quietly flies overhead towards the shadowy end of the courtyard…

Standard marching order.  

Frodo out about 70’ ahead scouting.  In dark areas, this should allow him to use infravision. He’ll be alert for traps, tripwires, ect, and alert for noise.  He’ll stop at any doors and check for traps while he waits for the party to catch up.  Shortword or sling and bullets ready.

Legolas follows behind.  Bow drawn with arrow noched while outdoors.  Sword and shield ready in buildings.

Gandalf close behind.  In dark areas, he’ll be carrying the lantern in his left hand, while his right will be ready for either spell components or to grab a dagger.

Gimli brings up the rear.  Mace and shield, or throwing hammer at the ready.  

In melee combat, Legolas and Gimli will advance to the front line.  Frodo will sneakily slip in behind, looking for a way around the enemy and take a chance for a backstab.  If no way around, he’ll stay back and use his sling and keep an eye on Gandalf.  Gandalf will hang back, looking for opportunities with spell or dagger.  He’ll also serve as lookout for the group, glancing at the party’s rear, and keeping an eye on enemy movements and other entrances.

Gimli:  “Ravens often roost in the guard towers at the entrances to Dwarven strongholds.  Perhaps this is a good omen from Moradin.”

He keeps his eye on the doorway and walls closest, using his dwarven senses to make sure they are safe.  

Is the courtyard empty?  Is there rubble or trees?  Generally we will move clockwise around the wall, alert, towards the far end.

As you approach the other side of the courtyard,what appears to be a statue emerges in the center.nothing else can be seen here.the raven which flew overhead is now perched on the statues head.

What is the statue of?

The statue is of an ancient looking wizard,standing tall with staff in its left hand.

The raven eerily gazes at your group. ..

Is there a door or anything else on this side of the courtyard?

No doors are visible,only the statue.the group feels a little uneasy....the clouds overheads are begining to grow thicker and darker.

Frodo will examine the statue, checking for traps, or if it has a lever or something.  Legolas watches the Frodo, and the raven,with his bow ready.  Gimli and Gandalf watch the courtyard.

Frodo notices the statues staff seems a bit discolored from the rest of it, but unsure if there is a lever of any type….the raven slowly flies away, and a small bit of rain starts to fall…

Gandalf: “We need to find some cover, lads.  We don’t have any tents.”

Legolas examines the staff.  Is it part of the statue, or can it be slid out from the hand.  Frodo steps back and takes Legolas’ spot as guard.

is legolas attempting to take the staff?

the staff looks as if it can be removed….

Yes, Legolas removes the staff.

As Legolas removes the staff, Gimli notices a slight depression in the ground,directly underneath the whole group. Once its removed, Gimli yells “Look out below!”

The ground beneath you starts to shake a little, with the sounds of grinding gears being heard.All at once, the entire group falls about 10 feet below onto a set of stone stairs descending down, rolling all the way to the bottom. Frodo takes 1 point damage from the fall.

It is pitch dark now, with only infravision to help you.

Once you gain your composure, Gimli can see about 30 feet ahead of him that there is a dark corridor and another corridor that turns to the right for about 20 feet.The area you are in now is fairly warm….

The rain through the giant hole above you pours down onto the stairs with streaks of lightning and bolts of thunder getting louder by the second……..

So, from the stairs there is a corridor straight ahead, and one to the right?

The group steps out of the opening and Gandalf lights his lantern

Yes one straight ahead and one to the right….

After lighting his lantern, Gandalf can see that the walls are made of superior masonry, the floor is flagstone, and the place is creepy as hell.

It is eerily quiet, for now……

The stench of feces can be felt ahead...

Does Legolas still have the staff?  If so, he straps it to his back.

The party draws melee weapons, and moves into marching order.  

The staff is lying on the floor at the bottom of the stairs. Legolas now has the staff on his back. The stench of feces grows stronger by the second ahead of you...

They advance ahead slowly.  Frodo stays closer, but still about 20’ ahead.  Watching for traps, ect…

Frodo determines the direction the corridor goes. It turns right with an immediate left ahead. The feces stench is unbearable now for Frodo…

Frodo:  “That’s pretty foul smelling ahead.  Maybe we should take the other passage.  I don’t want to lose my second breakfast.  If we continue, I may not even want elevensies.”

The group reshuffles and goes back to the passage on the right…

Turning around, your group heads back. You pass the stairs you all fell down earlier and take a left. This passage turns to the right and continues on for about 200 feet, twisting again to the right and eventually find yourselves at another intersection, where you can proceed right or left. The feces stench is here again, to the left, and as you ponder which direction to go, you hear what sounds like lots of bones being shaken together, but in a rhythmic fashion…..common sense will tell you that only skeletons make this noise when they walk, and it seems to be coming from behind you where you just came from, getting louder with the occasional clank of a possible weapon, such as a sword, echoing down the halls. Its hard to tell how many there are at this point…

Gandalf: “we don’t want those skeletons between us and the exit, lets head back and meet our foe!”

Gimli and Legolas take the front rank, Gimli holding his holy symbol ready.  Frodo and Gandalf follow about 10’ behind, sling and dagger ready, lantern held high…

As you turn to face your enemy, 3 skeletons are rounding the corridor ahead of you.They are dressed in raggedy old clothes that barely hang onto their bodies, but they are quick to come at you, with weapons raised high. They appear smaller than normal, almost like the size of children, but they are agressive and want your blood…

Legolas and Gimli charge forward, and engage in melee.  Frodo looks for an opening to use his sling.  Gandalf keeps watch...oh, which die do I use for initiative?  Group or indivdual?...

Lets go group…

Skeletons roll a 5…

Your group will have a +1bonus for already hearing them coming…

What die?...

d6…

I rolled a 5…

you also get +1 for  already knowing they were coming. your group wins     with a 6…

Both groups meet half way down the tunnel into combat…

I’ll roll to hit and damage together, and add any of my bonuses.

Legolas 14, 9  

Gimli 9, 7

Frodo with sling 18, 2…

so first number is hit roll and second is damage?

yes…

I will do defensive rolls before they get wiped out…

skeleton #1  18, 2 (gimli)

skeleton #2  16, 4 (legolas)

skeleton #3   3 (legolas)

i dont have the thaco chart in front of me yet, but im assuming the third skeleton missed…

Which weapons were you using?...

Longsword, footman’s mace, sling…

Gimlis mace smacks the skeleton into pieces on the ground. the other weapons are having no effect.

Legolas is being ganged up on by two skeletons and is sliced in the arm by a shortword for 1 damage. Gimli also takes a hit in the shoulder for a point damage   before the skeleton dies...

second round….

a 3 on d6…for initiative,,,

1 skeleton destroyed...

initiative 5.

Gimli 4 to hit, 3 damage

Legolas sheaths his sword and attempts to bash a skeleton with his shield.  Using non-proficiency penalty, 18, 4 (I rolled d6 for that)

Frodo and Galdalf stand ready, with an eye behind them as well

Does the non proficiency penalty give you a hit? Can't remember that one

All skeletons are shattered remains

Of a once normal being....bones and equipment all over the corridor. Skulls split open.Closer inspection right away reveals 2 leather bags and another bag thrown to the side with the spilled remains of coins all about....the air is once again rather quiet (and a hint scent of feces)...Gimli  and Legolas may want to rest to tend their wounds.Frodo may also want to rest his wound from falling earlier. ....

Good idea.  We’ll gather up the bags and head back  to the base of the stairs.  

Back at the base of the stairs,you dump your loot on the floor.altogether you amass 23 gp, 17 sp, and a small vial with a yellow colored liquid inside…

Gandalf will carry the loot.  After tending their wounds and a short rest, the group will head back, in marching order.  At the T, they will head right, away from the smell…