NIGHT BELOW - Black Dow's C&C Underdark Campaign

Game Master Black Dow

Thank you all. I appreciate it.

We saw this coming, so it was no great surprise. In fact, we weren't sure she'd make it to Christmas at the end of November. It's funny, though. Six months ago, I'd only lost one grandparent. Now I only have one left. Best I can do is live a life that makes them proud.

Good words to live by and honour those who pass.

I've added a new battle map in the campaign header - this encounter may (or may not) turn wholly belligerent. Its a new and improved format (with a old school title page) - please don't peek under the double doors image on the other maps (the art of which are also specifically made for this campaign as they have relevance which will be revealed in good tyme...)

Regardless please place your token on the Welcome to Haranshire map, not past the blockade.

Not that it matters now, but would you consider allowing Eireachdail to use CHA instead of CON for his Intimidate checks?

Also, that image on the right of you map brings back nightmares about the Tomb of Horrors. Looks like the fresco with the Sphere of Annihilation in its mouth..."go on thief, take look inside...." LOL

Mmm let me think on the CHA vs CON... Get the rationale but need to mull the mechanics - however in principle I'm not against it.

It is indeed that fresco :) Thought some old school images would befit the campaign lol. I've some others lined up for later as the saga unfolds...

We may be dealing with two groups here - the earnest guardsmen and archer-bandits. Or they could be working together.

Seems to be the latter with the archers providing support if things turn ugly.

Not that it matters now, but would you consider allowing Eireachdail to use CHA instead of CON for his Intimidate checks?

Given it some thought and I allow Eireachdail to use CHA as an optional bonus instead of CON for Intimidate checks where he uses cutting words or insults akin to flyting as part of the check.

Where he just beats his chest or looks menacing CON will still apply. So it will be very much based on how you intend to intimidate.

That's fair! Thanks

GM, on the map what do those arrows pointing down indicate? THanks

The arrows they fired.

LOL, helps if I read all of the words in his post! Thanks!

Well, I was totally wrong about that, and now I have to figure out how Ping's going to react.

You weren't 100% wrong.

These guys might all be on the same team (the bad one). All the archers missing that badly is suspicious, especially considering how the guard captain is trying to lure all of us away from the mule and horse. I hope someone stays with the animals. If they get stolen we have totally failed our missions.

BD, I've done a little looking in the books but I haven't found a clear answer on this... Can I charge at the second archer straight through the woods?

Going through vegetation hampers movement (and some other effects) which impacts the amount of movement I'd use up... but unless it is heavy vegetation I think I'd still meet the distance requirements. I don't see anything about trees blocking the 'straight line' requirement.

I imagine, as C&C is revisiting AD&D, this is really left as a decision for the CK.

Yeah, that was something that I started thinking about when Eireachdail posted about being suspicious of Carlanis.

It's going to be a bad day for Ping and Jenneleth if the two behind the log decide to take hostages.

@Eireachdail: Yeah just wanted to "mark" where the arrows fell so you'd have an idea (incase it influenced anyone's [re]actions).

@Hûƞidark: Yeah I'd say you could. The woodland is classed as overgrown so would hamper your movement by 50% when you hit it, but like you say you'll have enough "movement" left in the tank to reach the archer.

Gotta say I've found this encounter very interesting. PF would have been a series of Sense Motive & Bluff checks back and forth, while you lot have engaged and went with your guts or first impressions. Been quite refreshing actually.

@Zeebo: Sayin' nothin'... (whistles awkwardly)...

Oh boy, this will be fun!

We're just waiting on Elyan, right?

Am just pushing on, want to keep up the momentum with the fight - Have put Elyan safeguarding the animals at present, but he can join when able.

Am really enjoying this encounter :)

PF would have been a series of Sense Motive & Bluff checks back and forth, while you lot have engaged and went with your guts or first impressions. Been quite refreshing actually.

I agree. The problem with Bluff/SM/Diplomacy/Intimidate in PF (and later versions of AD&D) is that players began to rely on rolls not role-playing. As a consequence, you see players putting nearly zero effort into forming their arguments and relying on the rolls to forward matters. I’m in a game and one of the other PCs rode his horse into a village, smiled at everyone, and called it a Diplomacy attempt with the Charming bonus… apparently everyone in town (including the dog and the two pubescent boys) wanted to bed him. XD I suggested to the GM that the dog should hump his leg.

In my PF games – to get back to the need to actually make a good argument/lie/whatever – I have penalties and bonuses on any ‘social interaction’ roll for a good argument, a weak argument, NO argument, and a stupid argument. So even a crappy roll with a brilliant argument can achieve success and a ridiculous argument spoken by a very charming person can fail.

You lot are bleedin' blessed! Making a decent crew of thugs and banditry look like 1/2HD no-marks lol.

Actually quite impressed with the combination of missile fire, spellcraft, swordsmanship and blunt-orc trauma. Bodes well for the future + means bad guys will have to raise their game ;Z

(I fear Carlanis is about to become acquainted with the Right Hand of Doom!)

To that end... or rather to Corlanis' end, I have a question. I'm below charge range for either baddie still standing. However, Duh Rulz state that one can do a half-move as part of an attack. My move base is 35', so 1/2 is 17.5'... Do I round up, round down, or use 17.5' exactly which is essentially a round down in terms of movement on the board?

I didn't see anything in the book on rounding off but my search wasn't lengthy.

I think it's always round down unless stated otherwise.

@UDM:
To be honest, I was half expecting Ping to be held hostage or get knocked out. Combat is not her thing and when you only have one spell that you can use in a fight, it tends to make one a bit skittish I think. It's one of the reasons she panics when things go wrong in a violent way. She'll take risks, but she has to be the one in control of how much risk she takes. Otherwise, she tries to run.

Still getting a feel for Ping, but I think I have her mostly figured out.

I think it's always round down unless stated otherwise.

That's a Pathfinder rule.

@Ping: Nah I liked her lashing out and the end result - was pretty cool.

@Hûƞidark: Remember you also have your Fate Points to use...

▪ Sound the Charge: A character can spend a fate point to double their allotted movement for a single round. This includes the ability to move full movement and still attack. Unlike a normal charge manoeuvre, characters spending a fate point can move up to their full base movement and attack but do not gain a bonus to damage or penalty to armour class. However, spending a fate point to sound the charge effectively doubles the distance a character can cover to take a charge manoeuvre in order to gain this bonus and suffer this penalty. In effect, this manoeuvre allows a character to move up to their full base movement and make a normal attack, or to double the distance up to which they may make a charge manoeuvre.

Such a combat would befit the use of this application would it not?

Ping Ibbleting wrote:

I think it's always round down unless stated otherwise.

That's a Pathfinder rule.

True, but I think it's also in C&C. I'm certain it is in the Reforged version, not 100% on the 7th printing that we're using.

Doh! Forgot about fate points!

So, after additional searching I did find under Movement I think a bit that says you lose the fraction (rounding off to the nearest foot) on feet of move, so my 17.5 would drop to 17 and then divide by 5' to determine the amount of squares one could move, putting me to 3.4. LOL so it becomes a bit nebulous yet again unless we assume you round off twice. :) That said, I can use a fate point and simply forget this headache.

Sounds like a plan. :)

Oof, I feel for ya Ulfbrecht. Those rolls stink. On the plus side, it might make Franz waste his turn laughing.

Hey Mos, I looked through the rules on sneak attacks, flanking, and all that good stuff. It's got some complexity to it. I was hoping that positioning Huni as I did you'd at least draw a flanking bonus. If we can't hit for a lot of damage, hit a LOT. :D

Oof, I feel for ya Ulfbrecht. Those rolls stink. On the plus side, it might make Franz waste his turn laughing.

Aye, can't surmount the fates every time. Not a spry first showing for this weathered Dwarf..hopefully I can make amends with some fine tracking or herbalism rolls soon :]

After the killing is done, Ulf rolls a 20 on his herbalism check and rolls a sublime joint from the finest weed in three counties. The heroes take a well-earned break and pass it around...

This is a dwarf we're talking about. He'll make it into booze, not a blunt. ;)

Then he should have been a brew-a-list not a herb-a-list! :P

Besides, herb makes you stoned... what's more appropriate for a dwarf?

[nods head sagely] That's straight-up science.

I bow before your wisdom.

Only thing is, I think Ping would be more of an edibles person if she were the type to go for that. I'm not even sure she'd drink heavily given how paranoid she is.

Good for Ping knowing her limits and how to handle her high. XD

Sure, let's go with that. :P

And just wait til to you get to the Underdark with all its shrooms! :S

Do we really want to send the paranoid illusionist on a trip? That sounds like bad things waiting to happen to me. :P

Haha. But just think of the roleplaying possibilities Adam!

An aside to you all - I'm massively enjoying the game and how the system is allowing for freedom (something I was very wary of initially) - hopefully its capturing enough olde school spirit, am trying to keep the encounters/combat flowing and dynamic, but any feedback is most welcome.

Regardless this motley crew of characters is really engaging me :)

As an aside the OOC thread actually has more posts than the in-game one, dunno if that's a good or bad thing lol.

Oh I am, believe me. I just don't think the other characters in our doughty crew would appreciate it. ;)

I think you're doing a great job of keeping things moving. The two combats haven't felt anything like a slog. I'm just having to get used to low-level spell-casters not being able to contribute much in the way of martial prowess.

As for the disparity in posts, I think it's alright. There was a good bit of discussion before we started playing, so it'll eventually flip. Besides, I think having a lively OOC discussion either here or on Discord is a good thing.

Gang - just a reminder that you've all got 3 Fate Points (and gain an additional d4 per level gained) so I'd encourage you to consider them :)

Course as the campaign develops they'll likely be needed more and more lol...

Wasn't tracking that we'd be gaining such a quantity upon level up; will definitely help the decision to be a bit freer with them!

BD, where are we on the map? Are we on the Old Trade Road by the Lyrchwood or elsewhere?

BD, where are we on the map? Are we on the Old Trade Road by the Lyrchwood or elsewhere?

Yeah literally where the Olde Trade Road writing is, betwixt Lyrchwood and boggy fields west of the New Mire.

Top notch roleplaying folks - loving it.

Think the beauty of this hobby is sometimes when your running a game you get engrossed in the storytelling by players so much that you're sitting there thinking "Oh wow... Wonder what happens next?" - then pinch yourself when you realise you do lol.

Loot list updated... minus the personal clothing.

So there's definitely a smidge of irony in that post... You guys are onnn it! Will have to get in the habit of checking more. IRL timing is basically writing the character for me at the moment though I'll be sure to get to checking quicker here...

Regarding mundane loot (ie not treasure or magic items) the rules per say are a little vague.

My take on it is that you'll receive the value of the items in XP, but the actual in-game monitory value will be very dependent on the trader, location, secondary skills etc.

Means in the case of recovered weaponry, equipment or armour - the group will still get get the XP value for it regardless of its claimed or sold.

That make sense (and seem fair) to everyone?

Works for me!

Works for me. :)

XP for gear is news to me, but sounds good.