First Forays into an unnamed dungeon
Introduction
These are my first 2 sessions of playing any rpg ever and also a jolly, little and sadly lethal lesson I learned along the way (DO NOT BLOCK OFF YOUR ONLY ESCAPE ROUTE WITH A CLOSED PORTCULLIS).
My system of choice is Old School Essentials Classic Fantasy. Why? Because it's the one I spent my money on. The system I use for generating my dungeon on the fly is the Sandbox Generator by Atelier Clandestin. For random encounters and creating dungeon factions I use this wonderful procedure and for parley and discovering NPC personalities I use the fabulous Let Us Parley! also by Chaoclypse. I am playing this solo so I can learn the rules at my own pace.
The only prep I did for my first session was make a character. Namely: Stobin, the very charismatic wizard who also knows how to speak the language of Minotaurs for some nebulous reason. Together with his two retainers (unnamed Cleric and unnamed Fighter) a sleep spell and 4 daggers (you can never have too many knives).
Session 1:
Stobin and his 2 reliable unnamed companions who I definitely won't feel sad about when they die descend from an as of yet unknown town into the first level of a nameless dungeon.
At the entrance to their right they discover a mirror with no reflection. Like a blue abyss staring right into one's soul these petty mortals cannot resist the urge to step into it. A sole golden gong greets them, silent as if asking to be struck. Afraid of luring foes they defy their desire to do so. Scouting out the otherwise empty room they come about 400 silver pieces stuck to the backside of the imposing metal contraption.
Continuing on from the entrance and leaving behind their beloved gong, our protagonists catch sight of a portcullis blocking the way into the dungeon. As if warding fools who dare to go inside away. Behind, a treasure chest stands in a square room. Out of each corner of this space juts out a tongue ensnaring the treasure chest. Engraved on each tongue is a symbol: a flame, a drop of water, a sword and an arrow. Each tongue beckons a promise; if can you release me from this toil, I will reward you handsomely.
The party enters the room by lifting the portcullis, dropping it down behind them as if sealing their fate between these narrow halls. Deciding they cannot fulfill the needs of the questioning tongues, they turn left, for a sound like a thousand screaming baby's comes from behind the door blocking their way.
Investigating the source of this sound they find another portcullis, behind this a shelf endures the sounds of hundreds of tiny jars containing too many tiny screaming gecko's to name.
Wanting to get away from this horrid sound they go even further into the bowels of the dungeon. Spotting a trail of crimson blood leading into a wall our party decides to follow it. Stepping into the wall they meet 2 bandits sitting down in a room lined by crumbled statues, the only discerning features being large tails. Not taking any chances Stobin casts a spell that brings the foes into a slumber not unlike death. Investigating the body's they realise these adversaries belong to a renowned bandit gang in these parts of the world. Their leader if caught alive will bring riches untold to the orchestrator of this act. They decide to kill these 2 individuals, giving them the greates wish of all men. Dying a painless death while unaware.
Heading further into this lair-like space of the bandits, they open a door and find 2 more bandits and a spectacularly well-dressed man sat around a table. Identifying this man as a hedonist and the leader of this gang our protagonists get prepare to fight. But the blood flowing fast in their vains soon slows as the gentleman gestures for them to sit down. Stobin throws down al their collected treasure in front of the man and complies. The leader's smile deepens, expecting a deal to be made. Catching him completely unaware, Stobin throws a dagger at the burly badit to the negotiator's side. Causing a direct hit. Our unnamed fighter finishes the job with one strike of his axe.
While this is happening a loud crunching sound can be heard.
Our unnamed cleric has crushed the head of the second bodyguard.
While missing his own attacks, the leader calls for help. Desperatly dodging our strikes it arrives in the form of a solitary individual, with a grim look in his eyes he approaches the fight. Our fighter makes swift work of him by slashing his neck. As the whole room is painted red by the gushing liquid, our cleric lands a final blow on our target knocking him out.
Still breathing, blisfully unaware of his impending doom, our party exits the lair with the sleeping bandit leader on their shoulders. Following the halway they came from, they find a one-way door leading directly to the entrance of the dungeon. Leaving that decrepit place and coming into the town, they cash in their victim for 2000GP.
Session 2:
After their first foray into the dungeon Stobin buys a sword for our unnamed fighter together with a waterskin. Deeming it prudent to do so, he hires another unnamed retainer (a fighter wielding a longbow). Stepping into the dungeon our newly recovered party decides to revisit a dear old friend.
The gong stands still behind the mirror and it has a surprise in store. Another 400 silver pieces are stuck to it's backside. Thanking their comrade they leave the room, the gong never having been struck. Reaching the now familiar portcullis, tobin feels something moving behind him.
He narrowly avoids death by jumping forward. 2 bandit's were waiting behind the one-way door, planning the sweet desert named revenge. Sprinting to the portcullis, he screams for his companions to hold the line. Our old fighter gets stabbed in his guts, but manages to bite through the pain. Our ever resourceful wizard casts his thrustworthy spell. Bringing everyone to a deep slumber. Grabbing his dagger he slices the wrists of their opponents, Stobin makes them suffer a slow painful death as compensation for his fear. He only wakes his followers when the screaming turns to only a whisper.
Deciding to leave the toil of the tongues for their return, they enter an unexplored part of the dungeon. Closing another portcullis behind them, they unknowingly seal their fates. 3 giant gecko's drop down from the ceiling onto our unsuspecting party. Our original unnamed fighter doesn't even get a hit in before his head is chopped right off together with his arm. Our cleric narrowly avoids this same fate. Our new fighter desperatly launches arrows at these creatures, but by way of his shaking hands he misses all his shots. Unable to run away due to the closed portcullis the Stobin realises they are trapped.
One by one our protagonists fall. The cleric lands manages to land a hit, Stobin lands none. Both feel the crushing of theeth against their skulls, the last thing they will ever sense. Our scared fighter manages one final utterly useless deed. With his backside glued to the wall, he waves an arrow out in front of him. He manages to kill one of the creatures, his whole arm consumed by it's mouth and his arrow portruding from the inside of it's neck. The creature's body convulses as if unable to comprehend it's defeat, shaking our lone survivor onto the floor.
As the other lizard close in around him, he utters one final thought. "God it hurts"
What did I learn?
DO NOT BLOCK OFF YOUR ONLY ESCAPE ROUTE WITH A CLOSED PORTCULLIS! I REPEAT, DO NOT BLOCK OFF YOUR ONLY ESCAPE ROUTE WITH A CLOSED PORTCULLIS
Some pictures of my notes:
