Vengeance Before Healing

Session 4: Vengeance Before Healing

Cast of the Party

• +Chris C.  played Ectur, a harden soldier.  
• +Ken H  played Brytan Nargald, a stealthy scout.
• +Rob Conley played Sethre, a battle apostate.
• Anders, NPC tranquil.

Quick Explanation of Stunts

A quick note on the stunts I mention.  Dragon Age is a 3d6 system.  A stunt occurs when someone rolls higher than the target number and at least two of the dice are the same.  They get a number of points equal to their Dragon die.  On-line we decide the last of the d6s was the dragon die.  So if Chris rolled a 4-5-5, he gets 5 stunt points to spent.  Stunts are special effects that have an assigned cost.  

Then Came the Spiders

The giant with a dragon's head walked out of the rift and Brytan shot the creature with his bow, praying it would have some effect.  The arrow struck the scaly hide and shattered.  It moved its head to look in his direction and opened its mouth.  It spewed out five giant spiders that fell to the ground and scurried toward Brytan. 

One surprise to the group was when the spider hit it wasn't poison, but rather the spider's poison attack was considered a stunt.  They had plenty of opportunities to experience it.   While they battle the spiders the dragon giant headed deeper into the forest.  The party was injured, especially Brytan who took the brunt of the attacks.

They debated then decided not to track the dragon giant directly.  It left a trail of giant spiders behind it.  They decided to go east toward the main road and then try to intercept it farther north.  They noticed the rift had shrunk to the size of the plate, but remained.  

As they moved east they encountered a makeshift fort.  Wood walls 10' high.  Two men on a open platform tower.  Both were drinking.  One wore a Roman a partial Roman uniform.  The party opted for a sneak attack and shot at the two on the tower.  Nearly killing one.  Two other bandits rushed out of the fort to attack and the party made quick work of them.  Ectur dressed in his bronze armor laughed as their feeble attacks sparked off his armor.  

The leader of the group, the one dressed in the Roman attire tried to escape, but they tracked him blood in the snow and killed him.  It was discovered these men were Resenna.  Etruscans who turned their backs on their own people and allied with the Romans.  Ectur found a not from one of the Resenna leaders, Nasia, on the leader, confirming their alliance.  

The party made camp in the fort, finding it surprisingly comfortable.  The reclaimed the alchemy supplies and potions for their tranquil companion, Anders.  They found a stash of 20 healing potions and 6 lyrium potions.  

We ended it there for the night and they earned a level moving to 4th level.  

Session Notes

A couple of common sense rulings were made during the session.  Chris tried to taunt a spider during combat.  I ruled the spider couldn't be 'taunted' but we would call it distracting.  A spider is n't going to react to "Your mother smells like elderberries". 

One of the spiders hit Ectur and stunted.  I decided the spider would do a poisonous bite stunt.  When it rolled damage it failed to get through his armor.  So I ruled since no damage was done no poison was transferred.

I like the fact that the monsters, spiders' poison attack is a stunt action.

Weather came into play.  With the continuous winter the players were able to track the bandit leader with easy.  

We are really enjoying the system.  I'm enjoying running the game.  There is a lot of strategy to keep their heads above water.