Friday, June 13, 2014

The Ever Expanding Dungeon : Interlude

As I mentioned, I wouldn't be able to play a session of The Ever Expanding Dungeon this week; I'm prepping to run the 5th session of my old-school b/x dungeon crawl (The Dungeon Beneath Trelleborg) at my FLGS on Friday night.

However, I did get around to two things:

I'm switching rules systems. 


I love LL and the b/x it is based on, but since I am running two social b/x games at the moment, I'm getting my fill. Add to that, I recently read Swords & Wizardry: White Box and I experienced the same sense of excitement I felt as a 10 year old reading Modlvay's basic D&D. Unlike DCC, which I get the same feeling from, this rule set is simple and very close to what I already know.

The differences are minor except when they aren't. Nearly all weapons will do 1d6 damage and all PCs use the d6 for their hit die, although, not all classes roll a new hit die with each level. There are no bonuses for a high strength, unless you're a fighter and then it's XP. Dex has no impact on AC.

S&W works with either ascending or descending AC, and for giggles, I'm going to try ascending (Blasphemy!).

I also rolled up my new PC and did some "hand-waving" to advance the story:


Some 6 months since Sister Linkat and her party disappeared in the dungeon, a new face arrived in the village. Sent by the Bishop of the Church of the Hedonistic Lumberjack, ostensibly to look after the spiritual needs of the flock that the good Sister had tended to, Ygg (C:1), servant of the Hedonistic Lumberjack and, former Librarian of the Coven of the Shattered Kings, yearns for the opportunity to explore dark and dangerous places that, until now, he has only read about.

Along the way he assembled a band to join him.

Ygg will be joined on his adventures into The Ever Expanding Dungeon by:

Character"Player"ClassLevel
Lykidas Magic UserRod ThompsonMU2
Zilliniy FairweatherAlea iactanda estELF2
EomundJackoF2
Leegand Dhun, from the Wave-worn IslandKelroy was HereT2
Runolf SvenssonBluebear JeffF2

For comparison, here is the original party:

Irongrim - F:1, HP 7
Brother McCleary - C:1, HP 7
Malazar - M:1, HP 6
Theodotus - T:1 HP 5
Feldspar Greytooth - F:1, HP 8
Throm (torchbearer): NM:0, HP 2
Perceval (porter): NM:0, HP 3

I will go through and read everyone's back story and then get ready to play next Wednesday. Fitz-Badger, if you see this and want to submit another character to replace your last one, please do!

12 comments:

  1. She should (hopefully) still be good against ghouls. But watch out, that elf may have her own agenda!

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  2. Hit Point idea -- What I do for my players (in B/X) is to give max hp at Lvl 1; roll 2 dice at Levels 2 & 3 (taking the better); roll one die at Levels 4-5; and from then on roll 2 dice and take the lower one. This has the tendency to front load hp a bit and then to reduce it at higher levels. You might consider it in your games.

    Also if you just think of Runolf Svensson as a Viking . . . but not a Berserker type . . . you wouldn't be far off.


    -- Jeff

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  3. I am reading. Looks like a good party so far. Thinking of what/who I could add. I like playing dwarves, but also rogues, rangers or druids.

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    1. Fitz, I'm guessing that something called "White Box" refers to that older D&D "white box" set . . . and if that is the case, I suspect that a Dwarf class exists but that your other choice do not.

      And, after Clerics, Dwarves are my next favorite character type. So I'd suggest a nice short stout fellow with a magnificent beard . . . but then I'm not the GM either.


      -- Jeff

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    2. Hi Fitz-Badger Dwarves do indeed exist, don't worry about whitebox vs b/x, etc. Just feel free to roll up a character and i'll do any converting necessary. Thanks! -John

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. Cool. I get to "play"... vicariously!

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    1. Yes, it is fun. I've had three or four previous characters in the EED and it has been fun to watch them as they progressed (and ultimately all died). So sit back and read about what happens.


      -- Jeff

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  6. Sorry, I've been busy with work, and lethargic due to the onset of hot summer weather. Well, I haven't tried rolling up stats, and I know you started an intro, but how about a female dwarf? Gutzom's little sister, Maglom, come to try to defend the family honor and avenge her big brother, who she really looked up to.

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    Replies
    1. She sounds perfect! Go ahead and roll her up and she can join the party on the next delve in!

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    2. Sorry, this took so long!
      I found a Labyrinth Lord character generator online at http://truculent.org/llchar/
      You can roll random characters, or specify some of the paramters. It can generate a nice pdf character sheet, too.
      Some info on Maglom:
      STR: 15
      DEX: 16
      CON: 10
      INT: 13
      WIS: 9
      Languages: Common, Lawful, Dwarvish, Goblin, Gnome, Kobold, Nixie
      Weapon: Dagger
      Armor: Banded mail, Shield
      Other Magic:
      Magic Dagger +1
      Equipment:
      Wine
      Bedroll
      Crowbar
      Map case
      Trail rations
      Interests: fishing
      2nd child of a Dwarven Miner, little sister to Gutzom.

      As rolled she is only armed with the 2 daggers, but she has enough money to buy something better, maybe an ax or hammer.
      CP SP EP GP PP
      800 140 12 98 2

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    3. No worries Fitz-Badger! Since the party is back in town now, she'll be with them on the next foray into the dungeon.

      Thanks!

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