As I have nothing to paint or look at while we are in limbo (I am finding this quite hard to deal with - all that time I could be painting or basing I am instead sitting there twiddling thumbs) I tried a solo Dungeon delve using Goblinoid games Labyrinth Lord.
I have tried several of these so far and they have resulted in the quick death of all party members each time around. But I had a feeling this time around it would be different ( Well I hoped at least)
A chance encounter in the Inn, "The Mistrials Chalice" has led to a local merchant hiring a team of fresh faced adventurers to find out the fate of his brother. His brother had recently entered a (usually empty) dwarves fort to research a book on dwarves mining methods. A half-ling party had been hired but the merchant suspected they had taken payment but then run away.
Sigrid gathered his merry band (as-well as Foromor the Dwarf who's knowledge should be valuable) to enter the complex, find out what occurred and hopefully make some money.
These characters were all created via the Labyrinth Lord character maker (http://truculent.org/llchar/) and selected at Random.
Aglaia the Envoker (L2 Magic) - Mace
Foromor Forgerunner (L1 Dwarf) - Longsword
Zosime the Prestigator L1 Magic) - Quarterstaff
Otonia the Prestigator (L1 magic) - Spear
Sigrid the Veteran (L1 Fighter) - one hand pick
Before setting out the group visited a local merchant to better equip themselves for the journey ahead (As the default equipment everyone was equipped with daggers)
As they neared the entrance they could hear a deep croaking noise, so they steadied themselves for the worst. As they entered the small entrance room they saw several giant toads. Luckily the appearance of the party surprised the toads and they fled the room, some bounding past the group through the front door, while 2 fled through an open doorway.
Foromor scanned the entrance for traps and not detecting any the party advanced into a large hallway. As they entered they were made aware of the shuffling of feet coming from the dark. They readied their weapons and soon several zombies lurched into view. luckily Foromor and Sifrid made short work of the first two, while Aglaia slew another as it rounded the corner. Two more zombie shuffled into attack but were both displatched under a hail of blows.
The party then advanced north to some double doors, and open entering a smaller chamber encountered a party of halflings resting in the room. After some conversations it appeared the halflings had become trapped wedged between prowling Kobalds and the undead menace while also trying to find the merchants brother. Hearing that the zombies were no longer alive, they thank the party and make haste back to town. Hearing the guttural bark of Kobalds, then party ready themselves and burst into the next room. The sudden and aggressive arrival of armoured adventurers, instead of halfling did not appeal to the Kobalds and they all fled through another set or doors.
Kobalds
failed morale>
The party continued the search through the complex, most rooms were empty and derelict. The eventually found the bodies of the merchant in the deepest room of the complex. They wrapped his body in linen and carried him towards the entrance. This gritty task was made rather enjoyable by the fact also in the room, hidden in a wall cavity was a large pile of Silver pieces, as well as 3 precious jems (I rolled a 3 on a D100)
At the entrance Sigrid realised that a passage run off to the north, so Forormor and himself (Feeling very emblazoned and tough after a fairly uneventful adventure) advanced down the corridor and reached the entrance of the last room. The stench of rotting flash filled the air, a green slimy substance and the scattering of Bones of all manners in the entrance suddenly made the two stout fellows decide that it was worth it so they returned to the entrance and the party as a whole returned to the village.
The merchant paid the group for returning his brother for burial. The reward was a a roll on the unprotected treasure table. This resulted in some silver pieces, some gold pieces and a magic item, which turned out to be a Girdle of Giant Strength. This was a magnificent reward as it allows a character to attack as an 8 HitDice monster, with double the damage.
So back to the The Mistrials Chalice for a hearty meal, songs of glory, some ale and thinking about what the party will get up to next (I have a feeling the next adventures is going to get them all killed).
