Nothing will go right in this scenario for the DM or the players. We have guests. Can we fit our friends into the scenario the boys plead. The DM is left appeasing the kids and parents. Because well, when there is a plot turn, we accept and move on.
In retrospect the party was too strong, and the DM failed to up the ante, and increase the dwellers strength. The party added a wizard and two fighters. But they were still young and inexperienced.
Before we ever got to the Toadwallow caverns, the party met Bran Torson, Head of Tor's Hold. And he was "DAMN GLAD TO MEET YOU. WELCOME TO TOR'S HOLD. DON'T TOUCH MY DAUGHTER. I HATE BULLYWOGS AND I LOVE FROGS LEGS. KNOW WHAT I MEAN?" "WELCOME ABOARD! WHAT'S YOUR NAME? WHAT DO YOU DO? OUTSTANDING!!! CAN YOU KILL BULLYWOGS? OUTSTANDING..." All around. And that's how we brought three more players into the mix. They conveniently showed up at the right time to help the town defeat the monsters.
Wizards should stay behind fighters at all times. They are not scouts. Unless they are red shirts to show how the monster works. PC's should know better, unless they are red shirts sent into the fray so mommies can drink fermented grape beverages and the DM is under spell of said succubi...
The best line of the day came from our neighbor two doors down, an 8 year old newbie "Mr. Torson, would some of your men like to join us, even though they are probably going to die?" Benach said this with a straight face. The DM howled with laughter, and the other players laughed too. The truth is funny. But Benach started to cry. OMG, this was one of the WORST DM moments. No, Ben that was hilarious! don't cry we are laughing because that was smart funny not dumb funny....
We moved on.
The DM's insanity has continued. There is a map of a cave. It can be made 3D. What do I need. Bullywogs for starters. E-bay has b-wogs. How to make a cave? A lot of searching on diorama building sites and the DM discovers: CelluClay. Just add water for a sculptable paper mache' substitute. Walls are cut from cardboard, CelluClay is mixed and applied, figures are ordered on e-bay.
*[Spoiler Alert - The section below contains some descriptions of combat scenarios contained within the adventure, and my provide players with a tactical advantage]*
The pièce de résistance is a dragon's head, crafted from an empty packet of cigarettes, and painted with poster paint. Not quite to scale, but in form to hide one figure. Heh!
They party, with a few good rolls clears the entry cave. And then they learn another lesson in what not to do. #4 Never charge into a dark cave...
(#1 Never open EVERY door, just because you can't figure out who is the leader, and you all want to open a door. #2 Never run in front of archers or spellcasters, in your own party,who are prone to fumble. #3 Never cast a spell on someone, without consulting them first, or at least explaining that you are trying to heal or help them.)
The Toad Chief is laying down fire on one side of the cave, so Vash the stampede decides to flank his position, by running into the dark cave on the left side. He directs John the Druid to run to further to the left into the other cave entrance... dum dum dum....
Basically Vash runs past a 2 b-wogs with clubs, hidden in a crevice, who proceed to smack the crap out of him, as he blindly runs past.
Vash, in a fit of anger uses his daily power to vanquish his attacker and learns rule #5: Save your daily power until you need it. Inflicting less than 10 points of damage, he mightily kills the 1 HP minion.
John is not so lucky, as he runs right into the Gray Ooze, but sidesteps the pit they are.. well oozing out from. See rule number 4 above, we are learning this as we go along.
It should be noted that the finely crafted paper mache grey oozes are strewn on the cavern floor, just like the rocks, that serve as difficult terrain. If you look carefully at the terrain, there may be clues. Or not, maybe the DM is just keeping you on your toes..
When the DM rolled the attack and whacked John, his reaction was "WHAT THE HECK?" Exactly the reaction one should have when one runs blindly into a dark cave and steps in mass of dissolving ooze.
His second reaction was: Vash told me to run in here! Couple of points here. 1) Vash is a fighter, you are a Druid. Now act like a Druid. 2) Just because he is your older step brother, does not mean you have to listen to him, especially in the game. 3) Leadership development is a difficult process.
Mari, that's Maree to you, fool, is using the game mechanic to his advantage, charges the skull and ends the b-wog chiefs reign of terror. The rest of the party hunts down the oozes and minions, with the loss of one PC: Athenis the newly added mage. She and the additional fighters are called home for the night. The fighter and cleric are sent on a side quest, that they might join us again.
The party gruesomely collects the b-og legs, but leaves Athenis body behind.
In retrospect the party was too strong, and the DM failed to up the ante, and increase the dwellers strength. The party added a wizard and two fighters. But they were still young and inexperienced.
Before we ever got to the Toadwallow caverns, the party met Bran Torson, Head of Tor's Hold. And he was "DAMN GLAD TO MEET YOU. WELCOME TO TOR'S HOLD. DON'T TOUCH MY DAUGHTER. I HATE BULLYWOGS AND I LOVE FROGS LEGS. KNOW WHAT I MEAN?" "WELCOME ABOARD! WHAT'S YOUR NAME? WHAT DO YOU DO? OUTSTANDING!!! CAN YOU KILL BULLYWOGS? OUTSTANDING..." All around. And that's how we brought three more players into the mix. They conveniently showed up at the right time to help the town defeat the monsters.
Wizards should stay behind fighters at all times. They are not scouts. Unless they are red shirts to show how the monster works. PC's should know better, unless they are red shirts sent into the fray so mommies can drink fermented grape beverages and the DM is under spell of said succubi...
The best line of the day came from our neighbor two doors down, an 8 year old newbie "Mr. Torson, would some of your men like to join us, even though they are probably going to die?" Benach said this with a straight face. The DM howled with laughter, and the other players laughed too. The truth is funny. But Benach started to cry. OMG, this was one of the WORST DM moments. No, Ben that was hilarious! don't cry we are laughing because that was smart funny not dumb funny....
We moved on.
The DM's insanity has continued. There is a map of a cave. It can be made 3D. What do I need. Bullywogs for starters. E-bay has b-wogs. How to make a cave? A lot of searching on diorama building sites and the DM discovers: CelluClay. Just add water for a sculptable paper mache' substitute. Walls are cut from cardboard, CelluClay is mixed and applied, figures are ordered on e-bay.
*[Spoiler Alert - The section below contains some descriptions of combat scenarios contained within the adventure, and my provide players with a tactical advantage]*
The pièce de résistance is a dragon's head, crafted from an empty packet of cigarettes, and painted with poster paint. Not quite to scale, but in form to hide one figure. Heh!
They party, with a few good rolls clears the entry cave. And then they learn another lesson in what not to do. #4 Never charge into a dark cave...
(#1 Never open EVERY door, just because you can't figure out who is the leader, and you all want to open a door. #2 Never run in front of archers or spellcasters, in your own party,who are prone to fumble. #3 Never cast a spell on someone, without consulting them first, or at least explaining that you are trying to heal or help them.)
The Toad Chief is laying down fire on one side of the cave, so Vash the stampede decides to flank his position, by running into the dark cave on the left side. He directs John the Druid to run to further to the left into the other cave entrance... dum dum dum....
Basically Vash runs past a 2 b-wogs with clubs, hidden in a crevice, who proceed to smack the crap out of him, as he blindly runs past.
Vash, in a fit of anger uses his daily power to vanquish his attacker and learns rule #5: Save your daily power until you need it. Inflicting less than 10 points of damage, he mightily kills the 1 HP minion.
John is not so lucky, as he runs right into the Gray Ooze, but sidesteps the pit they are.. well oozing out from. See rule number 4 above, we are learning this as we go along.
It should be noted that the finely crafted paper mache grey oozes are strewn on the cavern floor, just like the rocks, that serve as difficult terrain. If you look carefully at the terrain, there may be clues. Or not, maybe the DM is just keeping you on your toes..
When the DM rolled the attack and whacked John, his reaction was "WHAT THE HECK?" Exactly the reaction one should have when one runs blindly into a dark cave and steps in mass of dissolving ooze.
His second reaction was: Vash told me to run in here! Couple of points here. 1) Vash is a fighter, you are a Druid. Now act like a Druid. 2) Just because he is your older step brother, does not mean you have to listen to him, especially in the game. 3) Leadership development is a difficult process.
Mari, that's Maree to you, fool, is using the game mechanic to his advantage, charges the skull and ends the b-wog chiefs reign of terror. The rest of the party hunts down the oozes and minions, with the loss of one PC: Athenis the newly added mage. She and the additional fighters are called home for the night. The fighter and cleric are sent on a side quest, that they might join us again.
The party gruesomely collects the b-og legs, but leaves Athenis body behind.
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