Wednesday, February 7, 2018

On Moonlit Wings: Valtyr #2

After Deathworks DW provided a review of Libre Solo Role Playing, I was a little hesitant to purchase it. I’ve already got oracles and adventure generators, but I’m always looking for something different to kick around. Below, you’ll find a “conflict scene” generated using Libre.

I made some minor adjustments to the encounter. As CR 1 creatures are supposed to be equal to four 1st level characters, I was initially going to make the gnoll CR ½; however, Libre decided to also include 10 kobolds. To give Valtyr a fighting chance, I made the gnoll CR ¼ and turned the kobolds into minions.

The other change I introduced was a morale check akin to what you’d find in B/X D&D. The initial DC 15 check was due to two kobolds watching their leader get violently skewered by magical icicles. The DC 10 was, “Hey, Ralph just tore off past us. Do we follow him or check things out?” And the final DC 15 was being reduced to less than 50% of their number. I mean, there’s this guy that just butchered half their party and took 2 points of damage…

As to the treasure, I assume the hoard generated at Redkat are also scaled to four 1st level characters, since it’s based off CR. So I divided all the loot by four and used the updated coinage, totaled the value of objects and divided that by four as well. It happened to roll four magic items, so I allowed Valtyr to choose one.

Player rolls for next area: 3, Monster Hoard
GM rolls for monster type:
Option A: Gnolls
Option B: Undead
Option A - 6, Option B - 2

Location: Assembly, first floor
Quality #1: (23) Helmet
Quality #2: (48) Pitch dark
Quality #3: (39) Container
Plot Stress: +5
GM rolls for Stress Check: 20
GM rolls for Encounter Budget: 24
GM rolls for foe encountered: 10 weak officers (20)
GM rolls for foe encountered: average noble (5)
GM rolls for rationale: Hunt/Scavenge

10 kobold noble guards (CR 0, minions): 1 HP, AC 12, shoddy pole weapon (1 dmg)

gnoll noble (CR ¼): 5 HP, AC 12, axe (1d6)

Valtyr walks further into the hall, the light from outside growing progressively dimmer.

He’ll cast Light on a gold coin and use that for illumination.

The light offered by the enchanted coin barely presses back against the darkness. A small patch surrounds Valtyr; a small island within a sea of shadows. Rust colored rocks are dimly seen to either side of him, a channel guiding him further into the tower. Roll Intellect + Subterfuge, DC 15.

Player rolls Intellect + Subterfuge: 18

Ahead, far past the light shed by the gold coin, Valtyr hears voices. They speak in a strange growling language, interspersed with snarls and barks.

Valtyr closes his fist around the coin, dimming the light. He falls back to a wall and uses that as a guide to creep closer in the dark.

Player rolls Agility + Subterfuge: 20
GM rolls Intellect + Subterfuge: 2

Valtyr manages to stalk closer to the voices, using the wall as a guide through the dark. The louder voice seems angry, perhaps it’s just how it naturally sounds, but a couple of higher pitched yips and growls respond.

Valtyr is going to regret this… He drops into a crouch and rolls the glowing coin ahead of him.

The coin bursts with light as his fist opens. It rolls into a room so large that the enchantment doesn’t even reach the shadowy corners. The chest just off center sitting in the room brings the coin to a sudden stop with a hollow clack.

A pair of small dog headed figures are entering the assembly, carrying handfuls of coins. One has a helmet hanging precariously from a clawed hand. To the left of the chest, nearest Valtyr, is a much larger canine like humanoid. Gold fur broken with splotches of black, it wears tattered clothing. An axe in its hand is hovering over the chest as it’s interrupted mid command. The three of them squint against the sudden brightness and turn toward the hall.

The cleric wastes very little time and guesses that the larger dog thing is the leader. Dogs are pack animals, so… Frost Shards at the larger monster.

Player rolls Intellect + proficiency vs AC 12: 12
Player rolls damage: 5

Valtyr draws from the snow covered mountains and the wintry Northlands. His hand sweeps across the room and clenches into a fist as he locks gazes with the hyena like monstrosity. Sharp spines of ice erupt from the floor and spear through his feet and legs, tearing its flesh and muscle into ribbons. With the briefest yelp, it doubles over and collapses; it’s dead weight suspended upon icy stalagmites.

GM rolls Personality + proficiency vs DC 15 for both kobolds: 17, 10

One kobold, the one with the helmet hanging from its paw, stops. Its commander had just been brutally slaughtered with a single gesture. The helmet falls to the floor with an overly loud metallic clang as it turns and flees through the door they had just come through. The second kobold seems less intimidated and races to a corner to recover a weapon, barking loudly back over its shoulder.

GM rolls Personality + proficiency vs DC 10 for the remaining kobolds: 5, 8, 11, 16, 10, 6, 10, 8

Player rolls initiative: 16
GM rolls initiative: 4

Valtyr draws his axe and decides to take up a more defensive position in the hallway. There’s no reason to get himself surrounded. He levels his axe at the remaining kobold and summons another Frost Shard.

Player rolls Intellect + proficiency vs AC 12: 9
GM rolls for Might + proficiency vs AC 17: 11

A burst of ice covers the stone floor and walls with rime, but the kobold is already charging forward and avoids the attack. It thrusts with a makeshift pole arm, a sharp broom, really, but Valtyr deftly turns the attack aside with his shield. A pair of barks announce the arrival of another couple of kobolds.

Player rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 12: 17
GM rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 17: 5, 9

Valtyr’s axe responds to the kobold’s trivial attack. A slash slices through the air and cuts a long tear across the dog’s throat. It heaves once before falling to the floor. The other two bound across the floor and stab at the viking with their pointy brooms. Both attacks are brushed away by his scale armor and shield. More kobolds enter the room, growling as they see the fallen forms of one kobold and their gnoll commander.

Player rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 12: 17
GM rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 17: 18, 14, 18

The thrust intercepted by Valtyr’s shield guides him in a whirl along its length; the axe snakes out and cleaves into the kobold’s shoulder. There’s a brief intake of breath as shock and pain quickly overtakes him.

Its partner seizes the opportunity to stab into Valtyr’s thigh. The wound is a minor scratch but a successful hit. The second kobold hits his shield with enough force to open Valtyr’s defenses. The third spears a glancing strike into his side.

Player rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 12: 19
GM rolls Personality + proficiency vs DC 15: 10, 6

The Northlander’s third attack kills another kobold. The remaining two look at the three corpses lying around Valtyr and the still form of the gnoll skewered on the icicles. Their weapons fall to the floor as they both turn and follow after the other fleeing kobolds.

The chest is propped open, holding the loot that the kobolds and gnoll were gathering for their own purposes. The brass gleams against the dark wood lit by the coin. Within the chest, Valtyr discovers:

628 copper pieces (13 lbs), 310 silver pieces (6 lbs), 3 gold pieces, 2 bars of trade silver (12 lbs, 10 gp), 2 banded agates (20 gp), ivory hammer figurine (25 gp), gold bracelet (25 gp), arm ring of blasting (3 charges)

Valtyr takes the treasure, parceling the coins in separate sacks torn from the ripped clothing the gnoll and kobolds wear. He’s a raider, so using what’s available is second nature to him. Just about 30 pounds in coin, bundled and stacked in his backpack. He studies the arm ring and wears it instead of putting it in the sack with the rest of the treasure.

Plot Stress: +5 (10)
GM rolls for Stress Check: 93
Valtyr has 8 HP and 7 MP remaining.

Grabbing the magicked coin, Valtyr turns toward the only other exit from this assembly.

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