Part 3 of 3-part series playing solo with Dungeoneer. Part 1 was RPG and Character Introduction. Part 2 was Partway Thoughts.
Finishing off the adventures of Fireborn and co.
Dungeoneer solo - intro | partway | finish
Final Thoughts on Dungeoneer
Dungeoneer will always have a place in my heart as my first ever RPG.
It's simple, quick and full of the Fighting Fantasy flavour it draws its lore and mechanics from. The magic system works and the characters feel different from skills. The races work well just by having certain common skills
It's also fine for solo play, except for character dying so easily if they are on their own due to the critical hits rules. It would be problematic with multiple players due to the disparity of starting Skill. There is a 2nd edition I will try out at some point.
Final Thoughts on Solo
Not much to add. I went back to Rory's Story Cubes for events and ideas generators. They work well for me here with rolling two dice each time.
I also streamlined my own oracles I was using, making only one roll to determine if an altered scene happens and what type it was. I was also spamming events to myself so needed to make some adjustments for that (some of the last part of Fireborn's adventures are a little incoherent).
What's Next
Troika! is next...with Mythic Emulator 2nd Edition.
I also think the entries on the adventures are too long. And maybe I should add some information on when scenes begin and end for some context.
Adventures of Fireborn and Company
At the end of Part 2 we left Fireborn and Clover, they had awoken in gardens possessed by an elven spirit. The spirit explains through visions and talking animals that it opposes the restoration of the Tower of Deeds, and Fireborn accepts task to stop it, seeing as what Ridlaire would want.
With nose bleeding, Fireborn attunes herself to the Shipbuilder's Axe, discovering a connection she had had since she was young, but blocked by elven elders, and the root of her fear of trees. The fear remains, but Fireborn has a connection to the axe, found in a Carsepolis ruin or vault.
Hoping to use a way down to the sewers, Fireborn and Clover return to Emberfall's house, convincing a crowd of frightened looters to let them down into the armoury. A few follow them and there is a brief skirmish in collapsed stairs. Following Clover's nose down into the cellar they descend into the sewers.
Fireborn's link to the axe directs them through the stench of the sewers, before ambushing someone following them, putting them to sleep. It is Imani the Thief, who answers their questions, telling them the Thieves Guild sent her to help. Shrugging, they push her to the front.
They find their target, the tomb of an arcane mechanist marked with symbols. Disabling the front gates, they find an inner gate locked tight. Exploring some more, they fiddle with levers and skeletal guardians. Clover and Fireborn battle the skeletons while Imani finds a way past and a secret door leading to the inner vault. Fireborn darts ahead, sensing the axe, only to fall asleep from a trap. Clover and Imani take down the last guardian and wake up their companion.
After a potion and provisions, they enter a floating axe challenges them, it is their quarry. Clover battles the axe and bonds it as a worthy warrior. They have the Shipbuilder's Axe!
A ghost of Carsepolis greets them, and bargains with Fireborn. It offers to teach her if they take a device to the Tower of Deeds. Seeing no downsides, she agrees. Clover guides them through the sewers, where they hear famliar voices.
Their foe the spider mage is talking to Maglyn the fungal oracle. As the heroes sneak up they are ambushed by a tentacled thing that grabs Fireborn. A brief fight ensues, but after cutting apart tentacles they take on Lanric (cyclops-costume thug), the spider mage and five other thugs. Imani flees at this point but tide turns with the help of the axe desperate to kill fungi and Clover taking down Lanric in one blow. Along with Fireborn's magic and a little luck they prevail. The spider mage and Lanric are both left dead.
Clover emphasizes wanting to find the axe of her father at the Tower of Deeds. They eat and follow a fungus-infected rat to Carsepolis ruins. Fireborn recognises verdant gardens as ancient elven-enchanted ones, from an alliance long ago. They find Maglyn and the fungi and the spore-animated body of Ridlaire. There is a confrontation but the fungi senses the Shipbuilder's Axe and releases the body of Fireborn's mentor. Fireborn and Clover put Ridlaire to rest in a nearby elven tomb.
Returning to task, Fireborn has overcome her fear of trees (and fungi). As the others talk, she grabs the axe and starts hacking the fungi. Clover quickly joins and an outmatched Maglyn flees, possessed by fungi. They run her down and put an end to oracle and fungi.
Back at the elven-Carsepolis garden they find Emberfall, the elven mage who has found them. After soe angry words Emberfall explains the trapped elven spirit helped with the garden and was approved by Nicodemus, a helpful local archmage (known in the Fighting Fantasy / Dungeoneer universe). Emberfall tells of fungi core residing in crab-filled sea cave.
Fireborn and Clover are more interested in news of a cyclops seer who is trying to restore the Tower of Deeds and residing there now. Defeating them would end this and help to restore order in Port Blacksand. So dusk found them at the Tower of Deeds (due to a way up from the Carselolis elven gardens), sneaking up to end it all.
A richly-dressed cyclops is seated at the base of the tower, and another stredes to greet them, hold the axe of Clover's father. Fireborn takes a opportunistic shot at the seer with her bow, only to shoot it through the eye and slay him. (another critical). As energies released and tower collapses, clover slays the other cyclops and reclaims the axe. Looting a sack of treasure and potions they leave quickly.
The story wraps up with Fireborn and Clover helping Emberfall cleanse the fungus. Staying in the city, Fireborn starts her apprenticeship with a Carsepolis ghost and becomes guardian of the elven under-gardens. Clover makes use of her Etiquette skill to become an ambassador to the elves.
Finally, Lord Azzur restores order to Port Blacksand in brutal fashion. And a garden is left to an elven spirit.
Characters Updated
Fireborn
Elf female. Unpredictable, mourning mentor. Skill 6 Stamina 17, Luck 8
Special Skills - Axe 7, Bow 6, Dark Seeing 6, Lockpicking 6, Magic 8, Wood Lore 7
Spells - Fear (1), Mirror Selves (2), Sleep (2), Ward (1)
Equipment - Damaged dagger, armour, Bow +1 of the Sylvan Spirit (can be used as a club), axe, lockpicks
Gave +1 Skill as it seemed appropriate for where she finished adventure.
Clover
Half-dwarf female. Opportunistic, strange projects, ambassador to elves. Skill 9, Stamina 19, Luck 11
Special Skills - Axe 12, Crossbow 11, Dark Seeing 10, Etiquette 11, Sea Lore 10, Underground Lore 11, Wood Lore 10
Equipment - Axe of Shipbuilding (max damage and +2 Skill vs plants), crossbow, armour, 2 potions of stamina, axe of grandfather, device of Kelaran Fireforge?
Unifinished Threads and Extras
The Extras is a list of NPCs, factions and locations which are part of the story.
- Emberfall, elf plant mage. Crab pet, owns house, cousin of Fireborn, tall, one arm is vines.
- Hiro the Crab, claims to be a seer, manipulative, talks telepathically. Guardian
- Seat on the Sea / Tower of Deeds. Carsepolis ruined theatre, restored as a strange lighthouse, outside Port Blacksand. Spiders, connected to Staff of Deeds
- Imani the Herbalist, thief, neighbour of Emberfalls, spying, nosy, Blacksand Thieves' Guild (Skill 9, Stamina 19, Luck 11. Special Skills - Awareness 11, Dodge 12, Lockpicking 10, Sneak 11, Spear 10)
- Blacksand Public Garden, elven forest like, elven plant tower, opposes Tower of Deeds
- Panicked Streets of Blacksand (soon restored)
- Shipbuilder's Axe, strong of purpose. Destroy woods, wants worthy warrior. Ego, tasks
The Threads are questions, plot hooks and ongoing threads.
- Find who mysterious benefactor of Cup is
Most of the threads were wrapped up this time!
Finishing Up
It was a fun and chaotic experience. Never thought I'd get to use my Dungeoneer book again!
Then onto the next British RPG, and not a pure fantasy one.
