Adventures In Rhymargg Session 1, Ruins Of Zenopus

  Session One of the Rhymargg campaign was rather short, taking about two hours of real time.  Since the players were all new to the game, there were a lot of explanations that slowed things down a bit.  One of the confusing aspects to my group was what was a good roll of the dice.  Was a low number good, was a high number good, aspects that an old-timer like myself has understood for so long that I forgot just how confusing it could all be.  Thusly, session one had the party covering only two rooms of the dungeon, but everyone had plenty of fun!

  The dungeon is the sample from the Holmes basic set, with a few modifications here and there.  For those without the Holmes set, here's the pertinent background information.
  The wizard Zenopus constructed a tower on the low hills overlooking the town.  Rumors have it that Zenopus constructed underground catacombs that linked with the town graveyard and the ruins of an ancient city below the current borough.  Eventually Zenopus disappeared one night as some holocaust engulfed the tower, and it remained abandoned for several years, until th persistent hauntings  forced the town council to action.  A great catapult was rolled through the city streets, and in a fury of destruction the sorcerer's citadel collapsed to the ground.

   There is still an entrance to the underground catacombs, though only the foolish do not shun it.  That's where the PC's came in, Valerius the fighter, Saren the cleric, Indel the thief, and Grimslade the magic-user.  I provided them with some henchmen to help them along the way, Thodric and Gilgard the torch bearers, and Norgard and Balmat, men-at arms.

  Down into the depths they went, eventually encountering six goblins.  The goblins stayed out of the characters torch-light at first, but when Saren attempted to intimidate them with her holy symbol, they reacted violently, attacking with wild cries of "Bree-yark!".  The party dispatched three of goblins before the rest retreated out the room, but with only two party members still conscious after the melee.  Since clerics in the B/X rules don't receive their first spell until second level, I inserted a multiple dose healing potion into the goblin's treasure, the party really needed it.

  After everyone had recovered from the fight, they took to exploring the goblin's possessions, finding a chest that was trapped with sleeping gas.  Since everyone was gathered 'round the chest, they all fell victim to the trap, except Saren.  Luckily there was no random encounters while the group was incapacitated, and they swore from then on to be more careful and cautious.

  More to come...