PH Dungeon's Hyborian Campaign
Game Master P.H. Dungeon

But I spent two...I mean you're the boss. I'll fix it.

Right, no worries then. My mistake

I'm not sure if anyone plans to do anything about Xanos' "pet". It doesn't look like anyone's jumping to do the honours. For now, I'm assuming that he'll be following Xanos around like a puppy for the next little while.

If someone wishes to try to dispatch the thing feel free to step up. I can also back track a tiny bit if need be. Otherwise:

With the torchlight getting low you get moving again, seeking a way out of the cursed labyrinth. For some time you wander. As you do, you find more signs of the creatures- mostly in form of scat and the skeletal remains of former victims.

feel free to take more rocks or bones for weapons

Your best find comes in the form of a torch that is only half used, and you are able to replace your own torch with it, just as your torch is about to burn out.

After a good half hour or so of continuing through the labyrinth you notice the faint hint of a breeze. Following it, you round a corner. The tunnel extends before you, and at the edge of your torchlight it opens into a room of some sort. The first one you've seen since leaving your cell. Your torchlight doesn't reach far enough into the room to make out any details. Though you do hear the sound of heavy, rhythmic breathing drifting out of the darkness.

What would you like to do?

Also let me know if I'm moving things along too quickly.

Ardeth will collect as many rocks as he can carry along the way. He will go totally naked, and use his loincloth as a crude sack to hold stones. I'm so much better at ranged attacks that I'm just going to avoid melee as much as possible now.

Ardeth presumably up front again, stealthing. Will tell the others, "Let me go take a peek. I'll come back and tell you what's there."

Stealth Forward (Assn, Agil, Sneaky Boon)3d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1, 1, 6) + 3 + 2 = 13
I have the sneaky boon so I rolled 3d6, dropping the lowest gives me a 12

You all also notice that there is a terrible stench wafting out of the room. It is the rank smell of the creatures you've encountered mixed with s*&!.

Ardeth takes the lead. A throwing rock in one hand, and a sack made from his loin cloth in the other, which holds another six rocks.

He silently moves up the passage to the edge of the torchlight, and he peers into the room.

For Ardeth

Ardeth will sneak back and whisper to the others "There's another one sleeping up ahead. Send your slave to devour it Xanos." he suggests.

Xanos nods, looks at his new pet and flicks his pale eyes toward the open door.

The beast padded silently into the dark.

Moments later terrible sounds erupted...

Take it away mr. GM.

Temur will also gather some rocks and a bone for a dagger as well.

If he can turn his loincloth into an improvised sling, he'll do that as well. Not sure how to carry rocks at that point though. Do any of the skeletons still have unrotted loincloths?

Temur you can salvage enough of loincloth to make a sling with.

The beast enters the dark room. Suddenly sounds of battle erupt, as the two creatures begin tearing each other apart. A few seconds into the fight, a severed arm comes flying out of the darkness and lands with splat on the floor of the tunnel. The howling and shrieking continues for several more seconds before their is final wail of triumph as the victor finishes off its foe.

After that you hear only pained mewling and moaning. It sounds like the survivor must be quite injured as well, and it has not emerged from the darkness of the room. You aren't sure if it is Xanos' pet or the other one that has survived.

Xanos calls his pet with the bond of his sorcery. If it lives it will come, or try at the least.

The beast hobbles out of room. It is obviously terribly injured. Its missing arm being a major part of its injuries. However, it appears that it has killed its opponent.

Xanos asks Temer for the use of his bone dagger for a moment and motions the beast over to him. It hobbles to his feet and lies down.

"Lie still." he says, kneeling and stroking it's bloody head.

"You have done well." he says, cupping the back of the creature's head with one hand and gently placing the bone dagger against it's cheek.

A quick thrust through the eye and it was gone.

melee, strength: 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4, 4) + 1 + 1 = 10

When it was over, Xanos stood and handed the sharpened bone back to Temur.

"Thank you."

"Well done sorcerer. Let demon kill demon." Ardeth says to Xanos, a look of respect on his face. "Lets continue on? The chamber ahead was too large and dark for me to see properly without light."

With the two abominations dispatched, you move into the chamber with Bran bearing the torch. What you see before you appears to be the den of the creatures. It is a squarish shaped chamber that is about 20' in diameter. The floor of the room is covered with bones and filth. In the centre of the room is a pool of dark, fetid water. In the centre of the opposite wall from where you entered there is a doorway that opens to a staircase descending down. In the centre of the wall to right of where you entered is another doorway that leads into narrow tunnel. The faint breeze you detected comes the staircase.

Ardeth will approach the staircase and sniff the breeze. Any scents I recognize, or is the sh*t-stench from the room too overpowering?

The s*$+ stench is a little too overpowering. The stairs are about as wide as a man is tall and descend a fair distance. You can't see the bottom of them. The other tunnel (the narrow one) doesn't go too far before it appears to come to end due to a ceiling collapse, which clogs the tunnel with rubble- determining whether or not it is passable is difficult to discern without a closer inspection.

Bran says nothing, good or ill, about the monstrous melee moments before. He strides over to the staircase with the torch, taking a look down.
"Better than the cursed labyrinth. Hopefully going deeper will set us back on the surface eventually. Let's go while the light holds.", he says before beginning the descent.

Ardeth follows Bran down the staircase, a rock in hand. Will this foul nightmare never end?

You head down the stairs. Ardeth and Bran lead the way with Temur, Xanos and Juma following behind.

You count 30 steps before the stairs end in another stone tunnel. This tunnel is wider and better constructed than the crumbling labyrinth. It is about 15' wide with a 15' high vaulted ceiling. It extends straight ahead and sputtering torches set in sconces on the walls illuminate it with dim light.

About 40' into the tunnel your way is blocked by a chasm/pit of some sort that spans the width of the tunnel. It is as if it was intentionally designed as a barrier to block access to the labyrinth. However, Bran, you estimate that a truly athletic individual with a good running start might stand a chance of clearing the chasm with a mighty leap.

The tunnel continues well beyond the pit, and at its far end it looks as though it opens up into the night air.

There are a few other important details to note. The torches lining the walls don't begin until the other side of the pit. On the ground on the far side of the pit there is a thick wooden plank that is clearly intended to be laid across the chasm to act as makeshift bridge. Finally, there are 4 guards on the far side of the pit.

Two of the guards have short bows, and the other two have curved scimitars. They wear baggy pantaloons and have thick studded leather girdles that protect their abdomens but little else. Their tanned chests are bare and covered with strange ritual scarring. They have black beards that end in beaded braids not unlike Ardeth's, and they have black silk turbans on their heads.

They immediately spot you as you reach the bottom of the stairs bearing a lit torch. They are obviously a little surprised to see you, and it takes a second for them to get their wits. The two archers start to draw arrows from quivers on their backs, and the other two go for their scimitars.

One of the archers shouts out.

Well foreign heathens, I know not how you got past the sacred beasts of the labyrinth, but as you can see there is no escape.

Proceed as you wish.

"F*ck you!" Ardeth says rushing forward to hurl a stone at one of the archers.

I will use a hero point if I miss.
Attack (Ranged, Agility)2d6 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (1, 2) + 1 + 3 = 7 Bah! Assuming that misses
Reroll (Ranged, Agility)2d6 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (1, 5) + 1 + 3 = 10 Might also miss :(

Damage (Agility, One time assassin bonus because they weren't expecting this?) 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

I can't stop shaking. I gotta get a fix soon.

The assassin bonus is a bit of stretch in that situation, since you don't really have the drop on your enemies. Overuled

You do however hurl your rock and it hits. Barely, thanks to the hero point.

I'm going to use a house rule mechanic that I use in my DragonAGE campaign for Armour. Basically each Armour has an Armour Coverage Rating (ACR). If you are wearing armour, your roll a d10. If the roll matches or is less than your ACR the armour protects you, and its damage reduction applies to the attack. If the roll is higher than your ACR, then the attack connects with an unarmoured portion of the body and does full damage. This makes armour slightly more realistic. The creatures in the labyrinth didn't need to make these checks because their natural armour gave them total coverage.

Armour coverage check against Ardeth's rock: 1d10 ⇒ 7 Amour fails to protect

The rocks hits the archer in the forehead causing a nasty wound. It doesn't drop him, but it does cause him to drop the arrow he was about to string to his bow.

The second archer manages to get an arrow loaded and fire at Ardeth.

2d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 3) + 2 = 10

Luckily for Ardeth, he is able to twist to the side just in time and the arrows misses, bouncing off the wall of the tunnel.

Bran backpedals in the tunnel, for a moment seeming to have lost his nerve... only to come charging forward and vault over the pit to reach the guards.
I'm assuming that will cost a hero point for an automatic success. Can I make an action after that?

Temur will try out his new sling, rushing forward and firing a stone at the same archer Ardeth hit.

Sling: 2d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4, 5) + 2 + 1 = 12
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
I assume that's right for damage, though it seems there should be some advantage over a thrown rock.

Bran backpedals in the tunnel, for a moment seeming to have lost his nerve... only to come charging forward and vault over the pit to reach the guards.

I'm assuming that will cost a hero point for an automatic success. Can I make an action after that?

I'm going to make you roll for it, and assume you'll spend a hero point for reroll if need be.

Bran leaping pit: 2d6+Str+barbarian 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (4, 2) + 4 = 10

Bran runs and does a mightly leap over the pit. You are just able to clear it. You can still make an attack.

Temur launches a shot from his sling, taking out the archer that Ardeth had already injured.

I'd didn't roll an armour check because he only had a couple of LB left. Temur, the sling will do 1d4+1+Str damage

Just barely landing the jump, Bran attempts to grab the nearest guard's weapon before they can react.
I'm going to assume that it's a Brawl check with extra difficulty? I'd prefer to either grab a scimitar from a melee guard or a dagger or something from an archer, but if they've only got bows, I can toss one back to Ardeth or Temur.

Brawl: 2d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5, 1) + 2 + 1 = 9
Hero Point reroll: 2d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4, 4) + 2 + 1 = 11

Bran you can take the dagger without spending the hero point

Bran, by the time you land the melee guards already have their scimitars drawn. They were a little further back from the archers and come in at you with big, rotten, yellow toothed grins on their faces. The archers each have a long curved dagger, tucked into their leather girdles. You reach out and steal the knife from the archer that just fired on Ardeth as the second one is crumbling to the ground from Temur's sling stone. You pull this off just in time to start parrying with it, as the two melee guards come in at you slashing with their scimitars.

Guard #1 attack on Bran: 2d6+melee+Str+1 for gang up bonus 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (6, 3) + 3 = 12

Guard #2 attack on Bran: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (3, 6) + 3 = 12

Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 71d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

That puts Bran in big trouble, but Bran, I'll allow a hero point to be spent to avoid the damage from the first attack.

Bran, although they aren't particularly skilled, they have you outnumbered 2 to 1. They press you hard.

Die heathen! Azoth will feast on your wretched soul!

One of them nearly cuts you down, but at the last instant you manage to parry the blade. However, the other one takes advantage of the opening and slices you across the side.

4 damage total, putting you at 3 LB. Yikes.

Bran, Temur and Ardeth have now acted. Juma is chilling out in the back, with no ranged weapon and currently without the courage to try to jump the pit. Xanos still needs to act this round, and then we can begin round #2.

I regret nothing!

Wow. Loving the posting frequency of this game but boy, going away sure puts you at a disadvantage! Most games I've been in the DM is willing to DMPC the character for a little bit, now I know better, no worries. Also, Juma would have suggested they at least go take a look at the cave-in before heading down the stairs, but guess it's too late for a little retro action now?

Far from lacking courage, Juma had merely been spending a moment to asses the battle situation before them. Having stepped back as soon as he saw the pit and the guards beyond it, the black giant now rushes forward, bellowing his war-cry as he makes a mighty leap and barrels into one of the scimitar wielding guards. Using his size, weight and momentum to overwhelm the man, Juma wraps his arms around the guard in a bear hug, trapping the man's arms at his side. As he tries to crack his enemy's ribs and crush the life out of him, Juma also gives him a solid head butt, looking to knock him out or at least end his struggling.

Not sure if all of that can be done in one roll or not? But here are some rolls (likely lacking the proper mods) to go with it

Jump 2d6+Barbarian+Str+Agil?: 2d6 + 1 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1, 4) + 1 + 3 + 1 = 10
Grapple 3d6+Str+Gladiator+with Charge bonus??(not included): 3d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1, 3, 4) + 3 + 2 = 13
Not sure what to do for crush and/or head butt damage. Using a Hero Point wherever may be necessary.

You didn't really miss that much. Sorry I was a little too lazy to try to run your character, and I didn't want to put him at risk when you weren't there. You guys can always go back and check the other tunnel after if you wish.

When rolling skill checks you only add one attribute and normally one career. For jumping it would be str and you could use your Barbarian rank. You total ends up being 9. If you want you can spend a hero point to reroll because the 9 won't quite let you clear the pit. A 9 will however, let you catch the lip on the other side.

I'll assume, based on the end of your post, you go for the hero point for the jump

2d6 + 5 ⇒ (2, 1) + 5 = 8

Sorry Juma, crappy re-roll with the hero point.

Juma leaps across the pit, but doesn't quite make the full distance. He does however, manage to catch onto the lip of the pit on the far side and starts to pull himself up.

Next round you can climb up and take an attack action.

Once Xanos goes round #2 can begin.

Remember that since Juma unleashed his battle cry, everyone gets a bonus die on their next attack, and the enemies get a penalty die.

Can I make the reroll myself? For important rolls, if possible, I'd prefer to make the rolls myself, that way I can only be angry at me (and the dice roller of course!) for missing them ; )2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 4) + 4 = 13

Can I make the reroll myself? For important rolls, if possible, I'd prefer to make the rolls myself, that way I can only be angry at me (and the dice roller of course!) for missing them ; )2d6+4

That's fine. When possible try to do it in your initial post, so that we can keep things moving and not have to retcon anything later.

With lightning speed Juma pulls himself up from the edge of the pit and leaps into one of the guards attacking Bran.

Armour coverage check: 1d10 ⇒ 10 (Armour fails to help)

The big man gives him a quick punch in the gut that causes him to buckle over and then head butts him.

Unarmed damage is 1d3+Str: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

The man staggers backwards, reeling from the head butt.

As it stands, Juma and Bran are each facing off against a guard. Both heroes are in a bit of a precarious position because they are between the pit and the guards. One of the archer's is dead. The other one is near Juma and Bran, and is trying to load another arrow. Xanos still has a chance to act this round.

Didn't roll the Hero Roll cause I though the 10 (with Agility) woulda made the jump) But Wait, what happened to the grapple/bear hug? That was his main move. Didn't say anything about punching the guard in the gut...?

Since I'll be out for awhile and assuming things don't change radically after Xanos acts:

Temur lets another sling stone fly at the other archer.
Sling: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 2) = 8+1+2 = 10 with the War Cry

Damage: 1d4 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 3 = 6

Okay I'm going to start with round #2. This isn't an overly important combat, so Xanos can jump in whenever he gets the chance.

Generally speaking I like to keep things moving, and if we're only waiting on 1 person I'll probably just start the next round in a fight situation after allowing some time for the person to post. In a more important combat I would probably wait longer, but I think it's good to keep the game moving along. If that is a concern for anyone, let me know. I could also DM run a character for a round, but I'm really not sure what Xanos would do.

Temur launches another rock. It tags the second archer, just as the man finishes knocking another arrow to his bow. The hit from the rock causes him to drop his bow, and seeing that the combat is not going well for the guards, he turns and starts to stagger off down the hall, clutching his head as blood flows between his fingers.

As he staggers away he starts to shout out.

They're escaping! They're escaping! Help!

At this point he hasn't gotten too far down the hall, and he's not moving overly quick.

The one that Juma head butted snarls, trapped in the bear hug and tries to escape.

3d6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 1, 6) + 2 = 10 dropping the highest leaves him with a 4 and a critical failure!

He spits at Juma, and one his rotted teeth comes out, bouncing off the kushite's forehead before he drops his sword to the ground. His face goes red, and he looks as though he might pass out at any second.

Didn't roll the Hero Roll cause I though the 10 (with Agility) woulda made the jump) But Wait, what happened to the grapple/bear hug? That was his main move. Didn't say anything about punching the guard in the gut...?

It was basically just fluff to set up the head butt that you mentioned. An unarmed attack does 1d3+Str regardless of whether you kick, punch or head butt, and you can narrate it as a series of blows or a single strike as you choose, but mechanically it is still 1d3+Str. I was a bit distracted when reading your post and didn't catch the part about the grapple. I'll give you both this time due to your good roll, but leaping a pit, pinning a guy and head butting him for damage is normally 1 too many things in a round. For instance, jumping the pit and punching the guy would fine or jumping the pit and grappling him would be fine. If you were close to him at the start grappling him and head butting him would probably be fine.

Bran snarls with fury, diving at the guard with his stolen dagger in a rage.
Since I'm in dire straits, I'd like to add my barbarian level to damage in a fit of rage.
Dagger (Strength 2 + Melee 2)- 3d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1, 6, 6) + 2 + 2 = 17
Natural 12! That's a critical success!
"IF YOUR GOD DINES, HE DINES ON YOU!! AND MAY HE S!~* YOU OUT ON YOUR KIN!"
Damage (1d4+ Strength 2 + Barbarian 2?)- 1d4 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 = 8

With a torch in one hand, and the stolen knife in the other Bran makes a brutal attack on the man, slashing him across the the throat with his blade. A spray of warm blood soaks the barbarians face, and the guard crumbles, and his scimitar clatters to the ground.

For rabble types a critical success will automatically kill them. For non rabble types you can double your damage.

"Juma, the plank!" Ardeth shouts, while winging another rock at the retreating guard.

Attack (agility, ranged)3d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5, 1, 4) + 3 + 1 = 14 = 13 to hit
Damage (agility)1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Armour Coverage Check for the retreating guard

1d10 ⇒ 3

Ardeth launches his sling stone, and it hits the retreating guard hard in the lower back. Unfortunately for Ardeth his lower back is well protected by his studded leather girdle. The armour absorbs the force of the rock; it bounces harmlessly off of the man, and he continues to plod forward.

For round #2, Juma and Xanos still have actions left. One guard is escaping. Juma has another one grappled, and the other two are dead.

Ok, thanks

Grinning now, Juma says with a smile to the guard in his arms "Give them our greetings in Hell" and tosses the man into the pit. He then reaches down and easily lifts the plank and places the other end on the far side of the chasm, allowing the others to cross.

If he has time to pick up the fallen sword this round he does that as well

"Xanos, don't let that guard escape!" Ardeth says, pointing at the limping guard as he begins to move towards the plank.

*poke poke* Where are you DH??

Xanos watches the ensuing violence with passive amusement, letting the warriors do what they were trained to.

in another time I would have leveled this place with a thought. Humbling.

As the guard begins to run and Ardeth shouts his warning, Xanos raises an eyebrow.

"No, no. No escape."

Reaching with his hand he makes a yanking motion and reaches out with his mind, shadowy energy flaring from his hand.

3d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (1, 2, 6) + 4 + 2 = 15

14 total. 1st Mag spell. Yank/Trip the guard.

The fleeing guard suddenly falls to the ground, and begins to claw and scrape at the ground as unseen hands drag him back in the direction of the heroes.

Everyone has now acted for round #2, so everyone is free to take round #3 actions, though the combat is essentially over.

Bran staggers over to the fallen guard, grabbing him by the ankle and flipping him over onto his back before sending his heel into the man's crotch with as much force as he can muster. Covered in blood, his eyes gleaming with a manic fury, he stares into the man's face.
"I wonder- will the other toadies be able to tell the difference between your screams and anyone else's? Or will they only discover you're dead when they find your mangled corpse at the bottom of the pit?"

Intimidate the guard (Appeal + Thug level?)- 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6, 2) + 1 + 1 = 10

"Speak quickly if you wish to see another miserable day- who is your boss? Why did they throw us down here?"

Ardeth will scramble across the plank and grab the dead archer's bow and arrows. He will also begin stripping his armor. "No need to have wasted all that good gear by throwing him over Juma. A big beast like you could surely have snapped his neck instead?" Ardeth will also grab a dagger, two if there are enough to go around.