Post by colerape65 on Mar 7, 2008 0:12:18 GMT -5
I haven't completed the template yet. I've been too busy coming up with new adventures for my exuberant sons.
I envision a Zenobia like setting with a crumbling empire (Romans) in a war against the rebelling locals (Gauls). Both my boys like discussing the Roman era. And I have downloaded the Paper minis by Patrick C. (my 12 year old loves to draw so I am hoping to get him involved in this aspect of the hobby as well).
Of course there is the intendent anarchy and people trying to take advantage of the situation. This includes encounters with ghoblins, Orcs and evil elves, as well as theives. And since my boys are inherently suspicious of magic users, wizards and their ilk also make good foils.
Today.
With the last incursion of the local bandits vanquished. The young peasants Levi and Will return to their small hamlet to report what has happened. The headman is shocked and dismayed. Orcs and Ghoblins in the hidden valley?!? No one has seen such for decades let alone such overt banditry! Could these young men help defend the town, find the source of the evil Humanoids and go get help?
My boys are 12 and 9. They volunteered to leave their extra weapons gathered from the battles they have so far won. After doing so they volunteered to familiarize some of their friends and family in thier use. They also realized that they couldn't also go find the Orcs and go get help. A town several days away in the opposite direction outside this hidden valley. This was good role-playing for such young-uns so I gave them an XP and let them draw a PD.
They gathered their meagre belongings in some burlap bags and left.
Once out of the valley and through the winding pass to the outside world they entered an old Forest. They encountered another (and final) group of local bandits. The bandits attempted to strike from ambush. They tried to pin our young heros with slings and bows while charging with beserker fury. (3 peltasts and 4 skirmishers).
I determined that the woods could provide the full range of cover, but that a sneak roll would be required to get the benefit of cover while moving and then only medium +3 TN. While using cover the PC/NPCs could move only their normal move (10 yds for humanoids). Charging or running they could move 20 yds but would lose the benefit of cover to do so.
The bandits did not fare well. Two died before they could close to melee range. Once in melee range the peltasts broke cover and charged. The bandit leader was an imperial deserter and tried to use a javelin before he closed. (Javelin DL 3 range 10/20/30, a hit forces the target to lose an action and make a melee roll to remove the javelin or suffer a further +3TN during melee if the target fails the melee roll but has a sheild they can discard their shield and also not suffer the penalty).
The intrepid adventurers began to suffer wounds at the sword points of the bandits. But the brothers rallied and smote their foes left, front and center. Only one bandit escaped with his measly life. The power of this group was finally broken after two sessions and 3 progressively difficult fights.
Levi and Will moved on after scavanging what booty they could find. Quick first aid rolls sufficed to heal a couple of points of wounds.
The next day our young peasant-cum-adventurers encountered an old man in the woods. He turned out to be a priest of the "God Most High". Miklos the priest invited them to his home after determining that they too worshipped the "Nameless God". The invitation was very much welcome as the youngsters were still hurt from the previous day and beginning to question the wisdom of their quest. Miklos explained to them that their sacrifice and faith would be rewarded and that they were doing the "right" thing. After a prayer to the "God Most High" they could feel they were following the right path. They also learned about the giving of a tithe to their God and how he would honor and bless their faith. They gave sacrificially of the booty they had taken. Miklos also explained that he lived where he did so he could bring the word to the unchurched locals and helped them out of the generosity pouring out of his heart for them. Our adventurers stayed another day and helped some of Miklos' flock.
After resting and healing from the priest and exhaustion from helping. The boys were ready to continue on. Upon waking up they discovered they had been deserted in the hut of the Priest and that their possessions were gone. Panicked they rushed outside only to discover that Miklos and his parishoners were waiting with gifts. Two backpacks and a ceremonial presentation of their arms and armor. See Devil in the Details thread for what they got.
Big impact. Such ceremonies are usually well recieved by players.
The forest began to clear and the apprehensive youth were beginning to feel confident. If they had been told correctly they were only half a day from their destination. They would learn their mistake very rapidly as they were attacked by a new group. A group of degenerate wood elves along with a spell caster. In an open field the elves struck. Rapid arrow fire and fireball fire was exchanged. The Caster was the obvious target (his fireballs were pretty weak, but spectacular enough to draw the ire of our heroes (the saying "tracers work both ways!" seems to apply even in a Fantasy world). The caster kept getting hit but after a while he stopped firing but still wouldn't go down. He was healing himself! He had also used a minor warding spell on himself and his troops that gave them an increase of 1 AL before the attack. The efforts of the adventurers redoubled and finally the vile, stunted, deformed elvish wizard fell to the shafts of the stalwart serfs. The elves charged at the demize of their leader. After a quick and bloody melee (and several decapitating strokes of the "Sword of the Spirit") the elves were defeated and dead!
The heroes limped to the town thus ending the session.
I rewarded a total of 6 XP. 1 for each battle survived. 1 for their helping their village friends. 1 for their sacrifice of worldly possessions to Miklos to honor their God (without prompting). 1 for the help they gave his flock. The final 1 for completing the mission. I gave only 4 XP the first time and made sure they understood why they got what they did. I also awarded them with a bonus attribute of Divine (minor) of their choice, for what they learned with Miklos. They had to give up all the money they discovered and the weapons they had recovered from their vanquished foes to "buy off" the flaw Poor.
They saw me writing this and asked me what I was doing. They told me to make sure you know that this is an "AWESOME" game.
I envision a Zenobia like setting with a crumbling empire (Romans) in a war against the rebelling locals (Gauls). Both my boys like discussing the Roman era. And I have downloaded the Paper minis by Patrick C. (my 12 year old loves to draw so I am hoping to get him involved in this aspect of the hobby as well).
Of course there is the intendent anarchy and people trying to take advantage of the situation. This includes encounters with ghoblins, Orcs and evil elves, as well as theives. And since my boys are inherently suspicious of magic users, wizards and their ilk also make good foils.
Today.
With the last incursion of the local bandits vanquished. The young peasants Levi and Will return to their small hamlet to report what has happened. The headman is shocked and dismayed. Orcs and Ghoblins in the hidden valley?!? No one has seen such for decades let alone such overt banditry! Could these young men help defend the town, find the source of the evil Humanoids and go get help?
My boys are 12 and 9. They volunteered to leave their extra weapons gathered from the battles they have so far won. After doing so they volunteered to familiarize some of their friends and family in thier use. They also realized that they couldn't also go find the Orcs and go get help. A town several days away in the opposite direction outside this hidden valley. This was good role-playing for such young-uns so I gave them an XP and let them draw a PD.
They gathered their meagre belongings in some burlap bags and left.
Once out of the valley and through the winding pass to the outside world they entered an old Forest. They encountered another (and final) group of local bandits. The bandits attempted to strike from ambush. They tried to pin our young heros with slings and bows while charging with beserker fury. (3 peltasts and 4 skirmishers).
I determined that the woods could provide the full range of cover, but that a sneak roll would be required to get the benefit of cover while moving and then only medium +3 TN. While using cover the PC/NPCs could move only their normal move (10 yds for humanoids). Charging or running they could move 20 yds but would lose the benefit of cover to do so.
The bandits did not fare well. Two died before they could close to melee range. Once in melee range the peltasts broke cover and charged. The bandit leader was an imperial deserter and tried to use a javelin before he closed. (Javelin DL 3 range 10/20/30, a hit forces the target to lose an action and make a melee roll to remove the javelin or suffer a further +3TN during melee if the target fails the melee roll but has a sheild they can discard their shield and also not suffer the penalty).
The intrepid adventurers began to suffer wounds at the sword points of the bandits. But the brothers rallied and smote their foes left, front and center. Only one bandit escaped with his measly life. The power of this group was finally broken after two sessions and 3 progressively difficult fights.
Levi and Will moved on after scavanging what booty they could find. Quick first aid rolls sufficed to heal a couple of points of wounds.
The next day our young peasant-cum-adventurers encountered an old man in the woods. He turned out to be a priest of the "God Most High". Miklos the priest invited them to his home after determining that they too worshipped the "Nameless God". The invitation was very much welcome as the youngsters were still hurt from the previous day and beginning to question the wisdom of their quest. Miklos explained to them that their sacrifice and faith would be rewarded and that they were doing the "right" thing. After a prayer to the "God Most High" they could feel they were following the right path. They also learned about the giving of a tithe to their God and how he would honor and bless their faith. They gave sacrificially of the booty they had taken. Miklos also explained that he lived where he did so he could bring the word to the unchurched locals and helped them out of the generosity pouring out of his heart for them. Our adventurers stayed another day and helped some of Miklos' flock.
After resting and healing from the priest and exhaustion from helping. The boys were ready to continue on. Upon waking up they discovered they had been deserted in the hut of the Priest and that their possessions were gone. Panicked they rushed outside only to discover that Miklos and his parishoners were waiting with gifts. Two backpacks and a ceremonial presentation of their arms and armor. See Devil in the Details thread for what they got.
Big impact. Such ceremonies are usually well recieved by players.
The forest began to clear and the apprehensive youth were beginning to feel confident. If they had been told correctly they were only half a day from their destination. They would learn their mistake very rapidly as they were attacked by a new group. A group of degenerate wood elves along with a spell caster. In an open field the elves struck. Rapid arrow fire and fireball fire was exchanged. The Caster was the obvious target (his fireballs were pretty weak, but spectacular enough to draw the ire of our heroes (the saying "tracers work both ways!" seems to apply even in a Fantasy world). The caster kept getting hit but after a while he stopped firing but still wouldn't go down. He was healing himself! He had also used a minor warding spell on himself and his troops that gave them an increase of 1 AL before the attack. The efforts of the adventurers redoubled and finally the vile, stunted, deformed elvish wizard fell to the shafts of the stalwart serfs. The elves charged at the demize of their leader. After a quick and bloody melee (and several decapitating strokes of the "Sword of the Spirit") the elves were defeated and dead!
The heroes limped to the town thus ending the session.
I rewarded a total of 6 XP. 1 for each battle survived. 1 for their helping their village friends. 1 for their sacrifice of worldly possessions to Miklos to honor their God (without prompting). 1 for the help they gave his flock. The final 1 for completing the mission. I gave only 4 XP the first time and made sure they understood why they got what they did. I also awarded them with a bonus attribute of Divine (minor) of their choice, for what they learned with Miklos. They had to give up all the money they discovered and the weapons they had recovered from their vanquished foes to "buy off" the flaw Poor.
They saw me writing this and asked me what I was doing. They told me to make sure you know that this is an "AWESOME" game.