Sunday, February 16, 2014

Delver Dies in 13th Descent

And then there were eight . . .

Delvers for 13th Delve:
  • Dleps -- male 2nd lvl Dwarf; AC- 1; HP- 20; battle axe
  • Ragnorf * -- male 2nd lvl Dwarf; AC-2; HP- 20-1=> 19; mace
  • Lumissa -- female 1st lvl Magic-User; AC- 8=> 7 *; HP- 5; staff; (magic missile, shield, floating disc)
  • Sperl -- female 1st lvl Halfling; AC- 4; HP- 6; short bow, dagger
*  Fashoo had used two CLWs on Ragnorf to get him close to full
and Lumissa was wearing the +1 silver torc that Taggert loaned her

 Although Entrance H with a return to Room 7 was mentioned as a possibility, most felt that Entrance C and exploring the doors in Room 9 would be the best option.  So, despite Lumissa's qualms about entering the room where Jangnar was killed, they decided to go that way.

As it turned out, Room 9 was empty.  The south door lead to a door which opened onto a dark room with three glowing statues . . . and the party decided to close the door and try another way.

The west door opened onto a long corridor with several branches.  The first of these led to another way down (R) so again the party backtracked . . . only to be surprised by a pair of Stirges (wandering monsters).

Dleps was hit by one for a couple of points of damage, but eventually killed them both . . . and first aid again failed to help.

Moving on they came to a four-way intersection.  The way to the north bent out of sight and that to the west ended in a "T" intersection . . . the to south there was a door.  It opened easily and revealed two Gnolls, who hurled hand-axes.

Dleps took a solid hit for 7 points and Lumissa was sure that she was about to be hit . . . but at the last moment the axe veered away . . . it must be the silver torc that Taggert had loaned her.

Both dwarves attacked the larger Gnoll but Dleps missed and Ragnorf fumbled as Sperl's arrow slew the small Gnoll.  The fight continued for a few rounds before Dleps finally finished the remaining one off.

And (surprise) Dleps did receive one point of healing from first aid.  As Sperl searched the bodies she located 8 gp in coins and a garnet worth perhaps 75 gp . . . a fortuitous start treasure-wise.

There were two other doors in the room (30) and the party chose to investigate the south door first.  The room appeared empty, but once they were in it, they were surprised by six (previously invisible) Skeletons.

Ragnorf was hit for 1 hp; Dleps for 4; and Lumissa for 1.  As the fight continued, first Ragnorf killed one, then Sperl and Dleps.  Lumissa threw a weak Magic Missile which only did 2 hp and took another 1 point hit in return.  Only three boney boys left, then two as Dleps offed another . . . but Lumissa was hit a third time . . . and unlike the first two times, the skeleton didn't roll a one, but a five and the Magic-User was dead.

Sperl and Ragnorf took more hits (for 1 and 3) before Dleps finished off the rest of the skeletons.  First aid didn't help Ragnorf; but Dleps got 3 and Sperl 2 points back.  The only treasure worth taking was the skeleton leader's shortsword which was suspected to be special.

Due to Lumissa's death and their damaged status, the Delver's decided to return to the surface.  Dleps picked up Lumissa's body and they returned to . . .

Room 9, which was now occupied by an Ogre . . . (hmm, there was an Ogre in here Delve 6, wasn't there?), and he didn't seem disposed to let them pass . . . but he missed his surprise attack.

While Dleps set Lumissa down and Sperl manuevered to use her short bow, Ragnorf charged the ogre (and missed), taking a single point of damage in return.  He could do that all day he thought . . . but the next blow hit him for 10 points of damage (ouch!)

Dleps got in a hit for 7 but took 3 in return; Sperl broke her bowstring (yup, another fumble) and Ragnorf managed a hit for 4 more before Dleps got a critical hit on the baddie for 9 more points, felling him.

As they exited the Undercity, they heard orc voices behind them . . . it is a good thing that they didn't delay any longer.

Results:
  • 1 dead -- Lumissa in Room 31
  • 2 injured -- Ragnorf down to 4 and Dleps down to 11
  • 2 Stirges killed
  • 2 Gnolls killed
  • 6 Skeletons "killed" (hey they were already dead)
  • 1 Ogre killed
  • Treasure -- 484 gp value and +1 Short Sword
  • Rooms Explored --  2 only (#29 not entered)

Upkeep:
  • Sperl made second level and rolled a "5" to give her 11 hp
  • Ragnorf made third level and rolled a "4" to make 26 hp (-16 dmg)
  • Dleps healed for 4 pts giving him 15 of his 20 hp
  • Lumissa's unknown ring given to Sperl
  • +1 torc given to Fashoo lowering her AC to 3
  • +1 short sword given to Wyrdrom
  • Norf now has 11 pts of damage
  • Gylvair now has 4 pts of damage


-- Jeff

4 comments:

  1. Well a single hit could have killed her . . . I was surprised that she had survived the first two d6 hits . . . to survive a third was really stretching it. As it was, the final hit was enough on its own to do her in.

    The party tried to keep her out of it, but there were too many skeletons . . . and then her magic missile did the minimum when one more pip on the die would have eliminated the skeleton that killed her (it had 3 hp and her 1d6+1 magic missile only did 2 hits).

    Oh well . . . four now dead but eight still alive . . . but about 75 more delves to go and only one Cleric.


    -- Jeff

    ReplyDelete
  2. Poor Lumissa.

    But it was hard to not read the post's title like a newspaper headline, especially the spinning kind from a 1940s suspense movie.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Perhaps an ad in the local paper, asking for more delvers. Or hirelings to take some of the brunt. Might be a short game otherwise....

    ReplyDelete