From 760ea82695aaba02cc524f3192be7cfbdd3c1e29 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Christine Dodrill Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2020 10:36:39 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] The dwarven cavern (#172) * blog: add The Dwarven Cavern * blog/dwarven-cavern: cleanup this here * blog/dwarven-cavern: more words --- .../the-dwarven-cavern-6e-2020-06-28.markdown | 338 ++++++++++++++++++ go.sum | 5 + 2 files changed, 343 insertions(+) create mode 100644 blog/the-dwarven-cavern-6e-2020-06-28.markdown diff --git a/blog/the-dwarven-cavern-6e-2020-06-28.markdown b/blog/the-dwarven-cavern-6e-2020-06-28.markdown new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8f00550 --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/the-dwarven-cavern-6e-2020-06-28.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,338 @@ +--- +title: "The Dwarven Cavern - A Beginner 6E Adventure" +date: 2020-06-28 +series: thesource +tags: + - 6e +--- + +# The Dwarven Cavern - A Beginner 6E Adventure + +Recently itch.io had [one of the largest game bundles in history][itchbundle] +and one of the things in it was this humble game named [6E][6e]. Some friends +and I have started up a small group that meets on the weekends to spend a few +hours with an adventure. I've been writing a few adventures for them, and I +would like to start sharing their archetypes. These will all be included in a +small zine that describes the systems we have built on top of 6E that I'm +calling [The Source](https://www.patreon.com/posts/source-v0-1-38587786). This +PDF will be available publicly once it is closer to done (however if you really +want a copy early on to dig at it, let me know and we can surely work something +out). + +[itchbundle]: https://itch.io/b/520/bundle-for-racial-justice-and-equality +[6e]: https://s-jared.itch.io/6e + +Today, I would like to share the details that went into writing the most recent +adventure: The Dwarven Cavern. This was derived from One Page Dungeons by +[Geoffrey Cullop](https://twitter.com/cullopgeoffrey), specifically this is a +variant of Kobold Caverns on page 5. Please note that the experience, gold and +hitpoints of enemies are balanced for the group I play with, and will probably +need to be adjusted for other parties of adventurers. This should work for +players at level 1-3. By the end they should gain enough experience to level up +once. My group is also very stun-heavy, so that makes my job of attempting to +balance things really interesting. + +Like most great adventures, this starts at a humble tavern, The Flying +Ombudsman. + +## The Flying Ombudsman + +The players start off in The Flying Ombudsman, a tavern in the town of +LAST\_TOWN\_YOUR\_PLAYERS\_WERE\_IN. There are a few people sitting at the bar +and drinking steamy mugs of grog. There is a salesperson sitting at one of the +tables fidgeting with a golden scepter head and looks like she has plenty of +items should people want them. There is someone rather sad sitting at another of +the tables, looking like he has suffered a great loss. + +For extra immersion, have the NPC's speak with a slightly Irish accent. For +extra fun, throw in random words from scottish, english and australian accents. +Keeps the players thinking. + +When players ask the bartender for a mug o' grog, he will sell them one for 5 +gold (limit 4 each player). If players ask for the history behind the name, +explain to the players the information in The Story of Hol below. + +The salesperson at the top sells the following: + +| Name | Effect | Price | +| :---------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------- | :------- | +| 3x potion of cure poison | Cures poison and grants 2hp | 15g each | +| Golden Scepter head | Doesn't look like it does anything if it's not on top of a staff | 50g | + +You may want to add a few more items to this list. I need to draw up a table +for items that salespeople like this can have. + +The salesperson can also get you a room at the inn for 30g. It is big enough to +hold all of the party. + +When players talk to the person at the bottom, they get a sad story about the +hoe-pocalypse that threatens the end of the village the person comes from. +Dwarves snuck up from underground and stole the hoe from him, making it +difficult to feed his hamlet. He asks the adventurers to go to the cavern the +dwarves live in and get them back. The players should eventually agree to do it, +and the NPC will progressively offer more and more gold as a reward. A charisma +check will get him to throw in some salted meat as a reward. + +### The Story of Hol + +The bartender previously ran a failing tavern, and was running out of hope and +money. One day, the bartender found a weird looking mug and found that it could +be used to talk with the gods. He eventually found a god named Hol. Hol offered +him the recipe for the strongest alcohol he could possibly make, for a price. +The bartender agreed without further thought and gained the ability to make +intensely strong alcohol, but lost his ability to negotiate permanently. + +One day the local ombudsman got news of how strong the liquor was and decided to +enforce some obscure liquor control law to get the strength reduced. The bartender +refused to negotiate and it escalated into a situation where the bartender kicked +the ombudsman so hard that he flew into the wall. People started calling the +tavern "the place where the ombudsman flew" and that eventually evolved into the +name The Flying Ombudsman. + +Business has been booming ever since. + +## The Cave + +The first part has 1 mechanical trap around the second corner, players will need +to work their way through it with low light or to grab a working torch off the +wall. The trap does 1d4 damage. + +The tunnel opens into a guard station, the dwarf archers wait behind cover for +players to get in range of their shortbows. If they get within 10 feet of the +archers, they fall back to the room behind them to the left. The Archers have 6 +hp and grant 100xp on defeat. + +The room behind and to the left is a labratory that is very well-lit. Lots of +weird liquid in flasks, scientific equipment, etc. There is a Dwarf Grenadier +there and will attack you on sight. He throws alchemical grenades at range (1d6 +damage, =6 -> random elemental effect), If the players get within melee range of +the Grenadier then he will use a poisoned dagger. If the guards retreated then +he will use them as meat shields. He has 25 hp. He drops 1d4 alchemical grenades +and also drops his poisoned dagger. He grants 300xp on defeat. + +The bigger chamber is the dwarven living area. Plenty of beds to hide behind, +but there are 1d6 dwarves living in there. They attack on sight, but flee south +if their attack goes poorly. The dwarves each grant 100xp on defeat. There is a +chest in there that is actually a mimic. It drops an Amulet of Chest on defeat. + +The room south is the home of Bubba the Bugbear, a hired goon of the dwarves. +Bubba and the remaining dwarves make their last stand here. Bubba grants 500xp +on defeat and has 30hp and 1d6+2 attack damage with his giant club. + +The final room is the treasure room, which contains the stolen hoe, some other +farming equipment and 250 gold. After this the dungeon is cleared and players +gain experience from their journey, then go back to The Flying Ombudsman +victorious. The quest NPC will award them with however many gold they agreed to +and any items they also agreed to. + +## Enemies + +### Dwarf Archer +*Decent guard, horrible foresight* + +- **Hit Points** 6 + +| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | +| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | +| 0 | +1 | 0 | -2 | -2 | 0 | + +- **Condition Immunities** drunk, groggy +- **Senses** Night-vision +- **Languages** Dwarf +- **Challenge** 2 (100xp) + +***Keep-away.*** Will flee at the first sign of trouble. + +#### Actions +***Crossbow.*** *Ranged Attack:* 1d4 damage + +### Dwarf Grenadier +*Mad scientist, crazier inventions* + +- **Hit Points** 25 + +| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | +| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | +| 0 | +1 | -2 | +2 | 0 | +1 | + +- **Condition Immunities** drunk, groggy +- **Senses** Night-vision +- **Languages** Dwarf +- **Challenge** 6 (300xp) + +***Insane.*** Will do things that normal enemies would not. + +#### Actions +***Alchemical Grenade.*** *Ranged Attack:* 1d6 damage plus elemental effect if +6 damage. See table for Alchemical Grenades. + +***Poisoned Dagger.*** *Melee Attack:* 1d4 damage. On hit player must roll for +constitution. If the check fails they get _disadvantage_ for their throws the +next 1d3 turns. + +### Dwarf +*Underground folk that love digging* + +**Hit Points** 6 + +| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | +| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | +| 0 | +1 | 0 | -2 | -2 | 0 | + +- **Condition Immunities** drunk, groggy +- **Senses** Night-vision +- **Languages** Dwarf +- **Challenge** 2 (100xp) + +***Short and Stout.*** Easily able to hit enemies below the belt. + +#### Actions +***Dagger.*** *Melee Attack:* 1d4 damage + +### Mimic +*Just an ordinary chest, don't question it* + +- **Hit Points** 14 + +| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | +| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | +| 0 | 0 | -2 | 0 | 0 | -1 | + +- **Condition Immunities** burn, poison +- **Languages** None +- **Challenge** 5 (250xp) + +***Unsuspicious.*** Come on, the chest wouldn't be alive, would it? + +#### Actions +***Omnomnom*** *Melee Attack:* 1d6 piercing damage, gets advantage if the player +tries to open the chest. + +### Bubba the Bugbear + +*From Bubba with Love* + +- **Hit Points** 30 + +| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | +| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | +| +2 | +2 | +1 | -2 | 0 | -1 | + +- **Condition Immunities** blinded +- **Languages** Dwarf +- **Challenge** 10 (500xp) + +***Unreasonable.*** Does not respond well to trickery. + +#### Actions +***Whomp.*** *Melee Attack:* 1d6+2 damage, piercing if the player fails a +constitution check. + +## Items + +These are the unique items specific to this quest. + +### Mug of Grog + +A wooden/iron mug full of the barkeep's grog. Consuming it gives you the +following stat boosts for 3 turns: + +| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | +| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | +| +0 | -1 | +0 | -1 | -1 | +3 | + +This bonus does not stack. When you drink the grog, you keep the mug and can use +it to bludgeon people for normal attack damage. It can also be used as a tool to +check for traps. + +Does not sell, purchasable for 5g. + +### Golden Scepter Head + +A golden scepter head that looks like The Grand Nagus from Star Trek. It has no +effect outside of when it's put on a staff. When it is on a staff it gives you +25% more gold when you collect gold from places. This has 5 charges and cannot +be refreshed. + +Sells for 50g, purchases for 50g. + +### Alchemical Grenades + +Standard grenades that look like they are made out of wood, metal, insanity and +magic. They do d6 damage normally, but when you crit with one it also causes one +of the following status effects (roll a d4): + + +#### Alchemical Effects + +| Roll | Effect | +| :----: | :------------- | +| 1 | Acid makes the entity take off their armor | +| 2 | The entity rolls a constitution check, if it fails they get poisoned and need to roll for constitution before every action, passing removes the poison, failing makes them not have any action. | +| 3 | The entity is burned for 1d4 damage every turn they fail a constitution check. | +| 4 | The entity is stunned for 1d3 turns. | + +Sells for 25g each, unpurchaseable. + +### Poisoned Dagger + +A standard dagger that gives no distinct bonuses. However when you use it as a +normal dagger, you need to roll for constitution in addition to rolling for +strength. If you fail the constitution check (but pass the strength check), you +get poisoned from the poison streaking out of the dagger. + +The poison has 5 charges. + +Merchants do not want to take the risk buying it and will you pay them for its +disposal. This cannot be purchased. + +### Bubba's Clubba + +A rather large mace that does +2 damage. It is a giant thing designed for a +9-foot tall centaur. It takes up three slots in your inventory. It looks +imposing and may require a lot of strength to use properly. + +Sells for 25g. + +### Amulet of Chest + +This cursed amulet lets the holder transform into a harmless looking treasure +chest, but also grants them advantage if an enemy tries to open it. After 4 +transformations, they need to roll a charisma check when they try to turn back. +If that fails, they stay a chest for an hour (with arms/legs/a mouth/etc). After +4 more transformations, they turn into a mimic permanently. The transformation +count stays persistent until someone becomes a mimic, then it resets to zero. + +Merchants will pay 100 gold for it, but will only accept it after the player +rolls for charisma. + +## Dungeon Map + +![](https://xena.greedo.xeserv.us/6E/img/kja4u2A.png) + +## Adventure Highlights + +When I ran this yesterday, the following amazing things happened: + +- The players used a crossbow from a previous adventure and a torch to hit the + grenades held by the grenadier, vaporizing it from 5 grenades exploding at once. +- The Artificer shield-bashed one of the dwarves so hard that it ricocheted into + the other dwarves like pool balls. That caused a lot of damage to all of the + enemies. +- The Monk critted a Ki art and shredded an archer with their claws, making the + other archer flee. +- The Thief straight up banished a dwarf to the shadow realm with a slingshot + hit. + +I still wonder how they are going to use that Cursed Amulet of Chest though. + +--- + +Thank you [@infinite_mao](https://twitter.com/infinite_mao) for making 6E. I can +only hope that my buying your stuff separately and making this content for 6E +can help give back to the community. + +Feedback on the balance of this is very welcome. I openly welcome any and all +feedback about how this quest could be rebalanced to be a bit less lopsided in +favor of the players. I also wanted to err on the side of balancing towards the +players to avoid an unwanted party death. diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum index eac51c9..1fcb28e 100644 --- a/go.sum +++ b/go.sum @@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ github.com/golang/protobuf v1.4.0-rc.2/go.mod h1:LlEzMj4AhA7rCAGe4KMBDvJI+AwstrU github.com/golang/protobuf v1.4.0-rc.4.0.20200313231945-b860323f09d0/go.mod h1:WU3c8KckQ9AFe+yFwt9sWVRKCVIyN9cPHBJSNnbL67w= github.com/golang/protobuf v1.4.0 h1:oOuy+ugB+P/kBdUnG5QaMXSIyJ1q38wWSojYCb3z5VQ= github.com/golang/protobuf v1.4.0/go.mod h1:jodUvKwWbYaEsadDk5Fwe5c77LiNKVO9IDvqG2KuDX0= +github.com/golang/protobuf v1.4.2 h1:+Z5KGCizgyZCbGh1KZqA0fcLLkwbsjIzS4aV2v7wJX0= github.com/golang/protobuf v1.4.2/go.mod h1:oDoupMAO8OvCJWAcko0GGGIgR6R6ocIYbsSw735rRwI= github.com/google/go-cmp v0.3.0/go.mod h1:8QqcDgzrUqlUb/G2PQTWiueGozuR1884gddMywk6iLU= github.com/google/go-cmp v0.3.1 h1:Xye71clBPdm5HgqGwUkwhbynsUJZhDbS20FvLhQ2izg= @@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ github.com/prometheus/common v0.4.1 h1:K0MGApIoQvMw27RTdJkPbr3JZ7DNbtxQNyi5STVM6 github.com/prometheus/common v0.4.1/go.mod h1:TNfzLD0ON7rHzMJeJkieUDPYmFC7Snx/y86RQel1bk4= github.com/prometheus/common v0.9.1 h1:KOMtN28tlbam3/7ZKEYKHhKoJZYYj3gMH4uc62x7X7U= github.com/prometheus/common v0.9.1/go.mod h1:yhUN8i9wzaXS3w1O07YhxHEBxD+W35wd8bs7vj7HSQ4= +github.com/prometheus/common v0.10.0 h1:RyRA7RzGXQZiW+tGMr7sxa85G1z0yOpM1qq5c8lNawc= github.com/prometheus/common v0.10.0/go.mod h1:Tlit/dnDKsSWFlCLTWaA1cyBgKHSMdTB80sz/V91rCo= github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.0.0-20181005140218-185b4288413d/go.mod h1:c3At6R/oaqEKCNdg8wHV1ftS6bRYblBhIjjI8uT2IGk= github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.0.2 h1:6LJUbpNm42llc4HRCuvApCSWB/WfhuNo9K98Q9sNGfs= @@ -110,6 +112,7 @@ github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.0.8 h1:+fpWZdT24pJBiqJdAwYBjPSk+5YmQzYNPYzQsdzLk github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.0.8/go.mod h1:7Qr8sr6344vo1JqZ6HhLceV9o3AJ1Ff+GxbHq6oeK9A= github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.0.11 h1:DhHlBtkHWPYi8O2y31JkK0TF+DGM+51OopZjH/Ia5qI= github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.0.11/go.mod h1:lV6e/gmhEcM9IjHGsFOCxxuZ+z1YqCvr4OA4YeYWdaU= +github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.1.3 h1:F0+tqvhOksq22sc6iCHF5WGlWjdwj92p0udFh1VFBS8= github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.1.3/go.mod h1:lV6e/gmhEcM9IjHGsFOCxxuZ+z1YqCvr4OA4YeYWdaU= github.com/russross/blackfriday v2.0.0+incompatible h1:cBXrhZNUf9C+La9/YpS+UHpUT8YD6Td9ZMSU9APFcsk= github.com/russross/blackfriday v2.0.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:JO/DiYxRf+HjHt06OyowR9PTA263kcR/rfWxYHBV53g= @@ -167,6 +170,7 @@ golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200122134326-e047566fdf82 h1:ywK/j/KkyTHcdyYSZNXGjMwgm golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200122134326-e047566fdf82/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs= golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200420163511-1957bb5e6d1f h1:gWF768j/LaZugp8dyS4UwsslYCYz9XgFxvlgsn0n9H8= golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200420163511-1957bb5e6d1f/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs= +golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200615200032-f1bc736245b1 h1:ogLJMz+qpzav7lGMh10LMvAkM/fAoGlaiiHYiFYdm80= golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200615200032-f1bc736245b1/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs= golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ= golang.org/x/xerrors v0.0.0-20191204190536-9bdfabe68543 h1:E7g+9GITq07hpfrRu66IVDexMakfv52eLZ2CXBWiKr4= @@ -179,6 +183,7 @@ google.golang.org/protobuf v0.0.0-20200228230310-ab0ca4ff8a60/go.mod h1:cfTl7dwQ google.golang.org/protobuf v1.20.1-0.20200309200217-e05f789c0967/go.mod h1:A+miEFZTKqfCUM6K7xSMQL9OKL/b6hQv+e19PK+JZNE= google.golang.org/protobuf v1.21.0 h1:qdOKuR/EIArgaWNjetjgTzgVTAZ+S/WXVrq9HW9zimw= google.golang.org/protobuf v1.21.0/go.mod h1:47Nbq4nVaFHyn7ilMalzfO3qCViNmqZ2kzikPIcrTAo= +google.golang.org/protobuf v1.23.0 h1:4MY060fB1DLGMB/7MBTLnwQUY6+F09GEiz6SsrNqyzM= google.golang.org/protobuf v1.23.0/go.mod h1:EGpADcykh3NcUnDUJcl1+ZksZNG86OlYog2l/sGQquU= gopkg.in/alecthomas/kingpin.v2 v2.2.6/go.mod h1:FMv+mEhP44yOT+4EoQTLFTRgOQ1FBLkstjWtayDeSgw= gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=