I had been messing around with solo ACKS stuff using the 1e AD&D random dungeon generator, but I decided I wanted to try out some wilderness exploration mechanics.
NOTES: This occurs somewhat vaguely in the Red Tide setting, though I basically just used the maps and the backstory, none of the monsters. Names of places and characters were randomly generated via behindthename and chaoticshiny. Mage/thief and thief actually refer to custom classes I made with several levels of dwarf to bring their saves and thief skills way down and bring them in line with the fighter base XP (approximately). The idea of the camping throw is from louisvillednd. Also, I expanded the ACKS random encounter tables using CDD#4: ENCOUNTERS REFERENCE by Kellri and the Swords and Wizardry monster books (which is why a carrion moth shows up…). Also, maybe I shouldn’t have used first level characters…
Vanya (explorer), Ofir (priest), Tivoli (thief), and Fedlimid (mage/thief) are four young men low on opportunities in the rural town of Tlonit in the Hohnberg Pact. Vanya is a farmer’s son who longs for a more exciting life, and is sick of the Shou raids which threaten his family’s livelihood. Ofir is a local priest, recently ordained, who is consistently passed up for promotions within the church’s ranks because of the out-of-the-way location of his congregation, and the fact that he is something of a surplus priest in the small town, where the very oldest ministers are still preaching regularly. Tivoli is a petty criminal, the last of a long poverty-stricken family line. Fedlimid is the third son in a noble family, and having inherited little but his education, has turned to less becoming pursuits to achieve his desires.
One afternoon, drinking in the Sleepy Ghost Tavern in the center of town, the four discuss the idea of heading into the wilderness beyond the borders of the Pact to make their fortunes. The idea is struck to follow the River Raitre which leads out of town toward the borderlands. With little else to occupy them a charter is drawn up by Fedlimid declaring equal shares of treasure and land for each of the adventurers, and it is decided that after a week’s time, at the beginning of the month of June, they will set off.
JUNE 1st, 300AL - The party is able to move 18 miles per day to start, being on foot and Vanya in particular being especially loaded down by his chain armor and various equipment. They follow the river with Ofir in the lead at first, as he as the least experience wandering beyond the town and therefore will be less of use when the party ventures farther out. The land outside the town is, in the main, cleared of monstrous influence, at least during a clear day like this.
After 3 hours the party is on the edge of the plain outside town, about to enter the thick forests which border the Westmark and prefigure the Shou-controlled mountains. After this their movement will be a bit slower (12 miles a day through woods), though they continue to follow the river. An hour into the forest the watch is switched, with Vanya in the lead. Though the forest is thick, this part of it is relatively safe and the party avoids any encounters.
The party camps in hex 33.05 of section e6. Vanya makes camp for the night, with watches by Tivoli, Fedlimid, Ofir, and finally Vanya again over the course of the evening. Vanya’s camping throw is 18, +4 for his Survival proficiency, for a total of 22! Vanya manages to forage enough food during the evening to save the whole party from digging into their rations for the day. Additionally, they avoid any trouble during the night.
JUNE 2nd, 300AL - The party chooses to spend the day exploring the forest they are in before moving farther along. Tivoli has the first watch of the day. The exploration throw is 18, and the d6 result is 5 (river/road/island). Rolling on the DCC#4 ON THE ROAD chart, the result is 11, which means that the party discovers a dirt road with markers and a wayshrine. Ofir stops and makes a small prayer at the wayshrine, and the party decides to follow the road for a short while. Along the way they encounter a quite haggard looking traveling theater troupe. The group is quite friendly despite their exhausted look, and they explain that they had been lost for several days before finding the road and the river again, after attempting to take a shortcut off a hunter’s trail to the north on the way to the next town. The party takes the troupe leader’s advice to stick to the well-traveled roads with good humor and the two groups diverge.
On the way back from the side road, the party witnesses a bizarre and incredible sight: a massive green dragon, the size of a large house or bigger, swooping down through the trees to pick up a fleeing dragonne and fly off with it in its claws. No one in the party had before heard of a green dragon in the Pact, but the sight was undeniable. They decide to avoid the question of where the dragon might be lairing for now…
Fedlimid has the afternoon watch, but nothing of note occurs. Vanya again makes camp and takes the first watch, with Ofir after him, then Tivoli and Fedlimid. The camp throw is a total of 7, barely eking by on Vanya’s survival skill. Everyone marks off one ration.
Rations remaining: Vanya [13]; Tivoli [13]; Ofir [13]; Feidlimid [6].
During Vanya’s watch, early in the night, he hears with anxiety a low drone building in the distance.
Eventually a flock of 28 stirges enters the clearing in which the adventurers camp at a distance of 80 yards. Vanya quickly wakes up his sleeping companions and is able to lead them to a hiding place under a hollow tree quickly enough that the stirges pass by. After this excitement, the rest of the night passes by without disturbance.
JUNE 3rd, 300AL - The party wakes at sunrise and Vanya takes the first watch. They decide to move deeper into the forest and explore some more. However, by the time Tivoli’s watch rolls around, the party has come to the end of the forest and reached the Shou-controlled mountains. This is where they decide to stop and explore rather than going further. To their amazement the party spots the same green dragon flying above the edge of the wilderness again; luckily it does not care enough about such small folk to bother attacking them. There is, however, some serious discussion from the party about turning south to follow it rather than heading into the mountains, with the idea that even for novice adventurers there should be some reward along the way to a dragon’s lair, even if they are not prepared to conquer the beast itself yet.
For today however they commit to wandering this borderland between forest and mountains, minding their position relative to the river to avoid becoming lost. Borderland as it is, in the midst of Tivoli’s watch the party comes upon a band of rangers patrolling the area. The rangers have no time for a band of petty adventurers, and are committed to tracking the movements of the green dragon through Pact territory and adjacent wilderness. They’re quickly on their way with a rude goodbye.
The exploration throw today is an 11, and nothing else is discovered besides the two random encounters noted earlier. The party decides to camp in hex 30.09. Vanya’s camping throw is a total of 18! Another critical success. Once again he chooses to forage during the making of camp and avoid the use of some rations for today.
Ofir has first watch of the night, then Ofir, Feidlimid, Vanya, and Tivoli. Nothing of note happens during this time.
JUNE 4th, 300AL - The party wakes and decides, indeed, to head south, at least for a little while. Ofir takes the lead for the morning, and the party heads into hex 30.12. Only an hour into the watch the party stumbles onto a nest of pit vipers! Luckily Ofir spots the snakes 30 yards ahead and the party is able to successfully avoid them.
The party decides to spend some time exploring this new area of forest despite the snakes. During Feidlimid’s watch the exploration throw is a 14, and the d6 roll is a 5 (river/road/island). In fact the party finds a very pleasant stream in this section of the forst, and enjoys making camp by its side in the evening.
Vanya’s camping throw today is a total of 21. Once again he is able to gather enough food and water to replenish the supply of rations and avoid having to mark off any for today. The watches tonight are Vanya, Tivoli, Ofir, and Feidlimid.
Late in the night, during Ofir’s watch, he is surprised by the sound of giganting wings beating above him - a carrion moth (24 hp)! The huge insect is already on top of him when he notices it. It must have been attracted by the light of the campfire… The monster touches the priest with one of its tentacles, and his shouting is ceased by the paralyzation it imparts upon him. The others wake up to see the grotesque scene unfolding before them.
The moth digs into Ofir’s flesh with its mandibles, causing 5 points of damage. It continues for another point as the others grab their weapons. Vanya lights a flask of military oil using the campfire and throws it at the beast. He just barely manages to hit it, and the creature catches aflame with a terrible sound! It takes 5 points of damage from burning. Feidlimid fires an arrow at the thing, but misses. Tivoli charges and attacks with his sword and just manages to hit for 7 damage. It’s down to half health! The monster withdraws, flying into the night with a furious buzzing noise. Vanya immediately leaps forward to tend to Ofir’s wounds.
Ofir’s mortality throw is 12 (3+9) and his d6 roll is 1. His heart and lungs were severely damaged in the attack, but he will somehow survive. The rest of the party waits with baited breath for his awakening in the morning.
JUNE 5th, 300AL - First thing in the morning, Ofir heals himself using Cure Light Wounds for 5 hit points. He insists the party press on despite his condition; in fact they are not slowed down too much, as his new unencumbered walking speed is about the same as Vanya’s encumbered one.
The party heads further south, following the stream they found yesterday. Feidlimid has the first watch of the day; nothing of note happens during his leadership of the party. In hex 30.16 the party decides to stop and explore for a the rest of the day. Vanya has the watch at this point. His exploration throw is a 17, and his d6 roll is a 1 (ruins). Now deep in the West Marches, the party comes upon the ruins of an old human settlement which was destroyed by the Shou.
The ruins are mostly composed of poor quality, but still surprisingly sturdy, marble construction. Though overgrown they are not crumbling despite the years of wear they have endured. Strangely the site appears to be some sort of watchtower, though it is quite strange that one should be built out of marble. Feidlimid remarks that the people of the West Marches often used such ostentatious construction to impress the native Shou, though one can see how far it got them.
TURN 1 - The party decides to explore inside the watchtower itself, since it looks sturdy enough. The marching order will be Vanya, Feidilmid, Ofir, Tivoli, with no need for a light source as the tower has windows. Before they enter, Tivoli decides he wants to check the entrance for traps; the others scoff, but he insists. With a result of 13, he actually finds one! That would be the tripwire low to the ground across the opening doorway. Tivoli attempts to deactivate the wire without triggering the trap, but is unable to.
TURN 2 - He tries again, but this time sets the trap off accidentally! The ground springs up like a monstrous teeter-totter and only Feidilmid and Tivoli are able to leap out of the way; Vanya and Ofir fall 40’ into a pit of spikes! The spikes aren’t numerous however and they manage to avoid them in their fall, but still take damage from the fall itself: 12 for Ofir and 19 for Vanya! The two thieves immediately climb into the pit to tend to their fallen comrades.
Ofir’s Mortality Roll: 1d20-3 = 12; d6 roll = 3; HAND CRUSHED
Vanya’s Mortality Roll: 1d20-2 = -1; d6 roll = 6; DEAD
Unfortunately it’s too late for Vanya; the fall killed him instantly. Ofir on the other hand has had his hand crushed beyond recognition, but survives.
TURN 3 - Ofir waits outside the tower performing funeral rites over the dead Vanya while Fedeilmid watches and Tivoli enters the watchtower to search for treasure. Inside the watchtower, under the stairs on the first level, he finds a small chest. He checks it for traps before opening: he finds one successfully, a simple poison dart trap in the lock. He attempts to disable it: total success. The chest itself is actually unlocked, and inside he finds a bag filled with 2,000sp worth of fine fabrics. This kind of bizarre fortune would be worth it if not for the companions outside, dead and maimed because of his mistake… Oh well.
The party decides to make camp on the courtyard of the watchtower, as good a place as any considering the circumstances. Tivoli makes camp while Ofir tends to his crippled hand. The camping throw is a natural 1! This is a horrible place to camp and the encounter chance is increased by 1 for the night (to 3+).
The watches are Tivoli and then Feidilmid. Ofir will rest the whole night. During Feidilmid’s watch, before dawn, two goblins wielding rusty knives stroll into the clearing, looking hostile. Feidlimidsees them, and they see him. Feidlimid wakes up Tivoli with a kick. He grabs his sword as the goblins approach, demanding the return of the contents of their stash. Tivoli refuses, citing his dead companion as an argument; combat ensues.
Feidlimid begins casting a spell. The goblins win the initiative; the first attacks Tivoli, but misses. The second attacks the crippled Feidlimid, and hits! He is dealt 5 damage, his spell is wasted, and he falls.
Tivoli returns the strike of the goblin that attacked him, and misses! The goblin trades his swing right back, and misses, along with his companion! Tivoli’s second swing also misses, but the goblin lands a solid blow that drops him as well!
Ofir emerges from his tent at this point, staff in one hand. This is his last chance to survive, and he knows it. The goblins approach him, swinging their blades. They both him him, and chop him down.
And that was the end of the adventuring company formed May 31st, 300AL.