Final part of Dragonbane solo, where Halwyld tries rescuing the family... Following on from the Partway Scenes.
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Final Thoughts on Dragonbane
rpg thoughts | solo thoughts | scenes | char & notes
Building on previous Thoughts on Dragonbane.
Not much more to add. Dragonbane is good, it's become my goto fantasy system, and I'm now running a campaign for my own group. In a world on the back of a whale.
I've become a fan of roll under with a d20. I've liked percentage systems such as Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and Runequest, but this version is cleaner.
Because of boons and banes, there's no maths for modifiers, and a d20 is quicker to parse than d100. With 1's and 20's having obvious impact.
I also like the advancement ticks for rolling a 1 or a 20, and the progression in general. There's no experience to track, or future decisions to plan. For solo just choose the skills with progression ticks and 2-4 others, and make the progression rolls.
Final Thoughts on Solo Tools of Dragonbane
rpg thoughts | solo thoughts | scenes | char & notes
Building on previous Thoughts on Dragonbane Solo.
I used the d6 oracles and they were sufficient. But if I ran it again I'd use my own oracle or something like Mythic Emulator 2e.
The NPC combat actions are nice, and I used the d20 Action / Element / Object table a few times.
With the Breach scenario (which I didn't use), it's a solid way to play Dragonbane solo, and I might try a full run-through of this on my own one day.
But I was happy with the way my game and story turned out. Using Rory's Story Cubes a few times, and now experience of several different systems played solo.
Playing solo rpgs is a skill like any other, and it takes time to work out how we like to play and what works for our own individual tastes.
So if you like solo and fantasy, go try Dragonbane solo!
Adventures of Halwyld
rpg thoughts | solo thoughts | scenes | char & notes
Continuing on from Previous Adventures.
Scene 9 - Exploring Brimdall (Health and Willpower at max for both chars)
Halwyld and Thurla decide do go to mines and see if opportunity presents itself. Disguised as orcs, they leave the pones and mule at a camp hidden in the woods. The two barrelborn pigs follow them though, even after being discouraged.
Sneak around to ruins of Brimdall, finding orcs feasting on some of their captured pigs. The orcs seem to be mostly waiting and some foraging. They seem to be mostly leaving pigs and captured dwarves alone.
Drawing on the lore he knows, Halwyld recalls a dwarven secret entrance said to be at an old monument. Look for it and find it, halfway up hill it leads down and is undisturbed. Unsure where it leads, they leave it for now but hide their pigs there.
Switching attention to the mine entrance near where orcs rest, Halwyld sneaks up to find the ghoul he saw before, feasting on food an orc has given it. The orc is dressed as a warrior, pulling a handcart, probably a scavenger of the ruined town.
The ghoul smells Halwyld, but argues with the orc, eventually going to investigate Halwyld's hiding place. The ghoul approaches and orc shouts a challenge, only to meet with a plate-armoured Thurla, who quickly brings the undead down with her two-handed club. Halwyld rushes the orc, who runs away into the ruins.
After looting a lyre and some silver, the two explore explore a little into the mine beyond ghoul lair. Musty old tunnels await them, but encounter no creatures and return to surface to find no alarm raised.
Taking a vantage point in an old tower, they are surprised when a lizard-person climbs up to them. They introduce themselves as a friend of Hclikr the animist, who asked them to help. Discuss a plan where the lizard-people cause a distraction for the dwarves. They don't know why the orcs have been found dead inside ruins of Brimdall.
Scene 10 - Rescue Attempt (Health and Willpower at max for both chars)
Not really sure what lizardfolk have planned, the dwarves plan on waiting for the distraction, releasing the pigs and trying to release dwarves in the chaos.
Thurla hangs back as Halwyld creeps up, to find the only orc guarding the herd of captured pigs is distracted, drinking and gambling with another orc. Halwyld gets in among pigs, and finds some who recognise him as a friend (rolled a dragon!).
In the distance, a canoe on fire and arrows distract orc, who send out a response. Having heard of a fearsome creature of orc legend, Halwyld gets up on a pig in orcish robes and lights a torch. Then rides them to stampede, shouting in orcish all the while. The orcs, already on edge, are unhappy at this. Pigs trample orcs as they head in direction of capture dwarves.
Orcs mostly scatter, but a shaman and her guards stand firm. Thurla acts, heading for her captured kin, ignored in the chaos. The orc chieftain, superstitious, has retreated from the chaos with bodyguards.
Lightning comes down for Halwyld, but he manages to stay mounted. A couple of orcs turn on their prisoners, and some pigs frozen by shaman's magic. Then a couple of the shaman's guards have had enough, dragging her away as pigs attack them.
A couple of dwarves fight back with chains and rocks, prepared for this situation, and are bolstered when Thurla arrives among them, sending few orcs here running. Shouts among the dwarves and they quickly organise and free selves. They quickly follow Thurla into the ruins of Brimdall.
Looking behind they find pigs have crushed the shaman and among the orcs. But as the dwarves head for the city, a voice rings out. It belongs to a dwarf with long white braids, a famous outcast known as Tarn the Tainted, who has been working with the orcs.
A half-human, half-wolf creature bursts among the dwarves, but is quickly driven off by a quick-thinking Halwyld. He uses the silver necklace to drive off what he recognises as a werewolf, but it is snatched by a desperate orcs as the dwarves continue their retreat.
And then the dwarves are among the ruins, where they quickly find the mine entrance.
Scene 11 - Taking Stock
Nothing waits for the dwarves in the mines, and no foes came after them. Thanking their rescuers, the Barrelborn dwarves took a quick inventory and redistributed weapons and anything else of use.
(oracle indicated nothing waiting and nothing chasing them)
One dwarf, Nordrum Barrelborn, knows these mines, having worked here when he was younger. There are a few chambers at the surface, and then a single long route descending down. There are about fifteen dwarves who escaped, with only a few weapons between them, and they ask Halwyld what the plan is.
After quick discussion which the scholar leads, it is decided majority will descend to find the way out through tunnels underground. Using a story from Nordrum and lore recalled by Halwyld, they know about an old defence never activated in they city. Halwyld and Thurla to go back up and try to activate it, seeking a large statue that needed to be commanded in the tongue of dragon.
Halwyld and Thurla wait for a little (a stretch rest) for their kin to start descending then make way back out. Halwyld sneaks to edge, finding Tarn the Tainted and a werewolf waiting nearby, guarding the exit. The are talking about how a dwarf to be delivered by dawn to the minotaur Leonidas, one way or another, to awaken some creature.
Their foes enter the mine, but scholar and carpenter have found somewhere to hide. The werewolf catches the scent or Thurla, but just as Tarn find signs of the other dwarves descending into the deeps. Traitor and werewolf descend after the fleeing Barrelborn. Leaving Thurla and Halwyld free to return to the city
Scene 12 - Return to the Ruins
Halwyld and Thurla follow directions of Nordrum, running face to face with a large aggressive wolf. It releases a howl and there's an answering roar from up the hill. Dodging crossbow bolts, the worg moves in, only to get crushed by Thurla's club.
The two head on in a hurry, but the noise has attracted a shadow after them. Probably the orc scavenger from earlier.
Scene 13 - Race to the Titan
The two stumble on, tired and disheartened, reaching the edge of a plaza where a meta statue of a giant armoured figue stands. And then a minotaur looms behind them.
Thurla stands to block the roaring minotaur, hoping to give Halwyld time to awaken the statue. She attacks with her great club, landing a couple of blows and taking hits on her armour, but she is outmatched and kicked back. But Thurla is tough, and enough of a threat that Leonidas can't ignore her.
And it's enough time for Halwyld to reach the statue and recite works in the dragon tongue (a dragon helps). The statue awakes, and the Titan of Brimdall awakens. Leonidas, already injured, surprisingly retreats, his last kick bringing down Thurla as he disappears into the ruins.
Rumbles in the distant indicate some old dwarven barrier rising, as the titan activates old defences of Brimdall. Thurla survives her fall, and the two can rest, at least for the moment, knowing their kin should be safe.
End.
Epilogue
Halwyld would stay in the ruins of Brimdall, seeking to unravel the mystery of the dead orcs, the titan who hadn't activated when the dwarf city first fell, and the treachery of Tarn the Tainted, recent and further back.
Thurla descended into the tunnels, finding her kin and leading them back to their homeland. There they would salvage what they could, and organise any other survivors they could find, for the troubled times ahead....
Characters and Adventure Notes
rpg thoughts | solo thoughts | scenes | char & notes
Halwyld is travelling with Thurla, a female dwarf master carpenter, two ponies, a mule and now two Barrelborn pigs.
Halwyld Barrelborn
Old Dwarf Scholar, Flaw - Child of the Wild
STR 11, CON 8, AGL 9, INT 13, WIL 12 CHA 9
Heroic Abilities: Intuition, Sole Survivor, Unforgiving,
Trained Skills: Beast Lore, Evade, Healing, Languages, Myth & Legends, Spot Hidden, Hammers, Crossbows, Awareness, Sneaking, Knives, Swimming
Skills: Acrobatics 5, Awareness 12, Bartering 5, Beast Lore 13, Bluffing 5, Bushcraft 8, Crafting 5, Evade 10, Healing 7, Hunting & Fishing 5, Languages 13, Myths & Legends 14, Performance 5, Persuasion 5, Riding 7, Seamanship 6, Sleight of Hand 5, Sneaking 11, Spot Hidden 13, Swimming 10
Weapon Skills: Axes 5, Bows 5, Brawling 5, Crossbows 12, Hammers 10, Knives 10, Slings 5, Spears 5, Staves 5, Swords 5
Equipment: book (on dwarf royalty), book (grammar of the dragon tongue), sleeping pelt, oil lamp, flint & tinder, 1 food ration, map, lamp oil, leather armour, 10 silver, Memento - Pair of simple bone dice, gold necklace, hunting snare, fishing net, mule, pony, two Barrelborn pigs, knife
Weapons at Hand: Small shield, light hammer, light crossbow
Thurla Barrelborn
Dwarf Carpenter, Flaw - Haughty
STR 14, CON 12, AGL 9, INT 13, WIL 12 CHA 5
Heroic Abilities: Master Carpenter, Unforgiving
Trained Skills: Beast Lore, Evade, Healing, Languages, Myth & Legends, Spot Hidden, Hammers, Crossbows, Awareness, Sneaking, Knives, Swimming
Skills: Acrobatics 5, Awareness 6, Bartering 3, Beast Lore 6, Bluffing 3, Bushcraft 6, Crafting 12, Evade 5, Healing 6, Hunting & Fishing 13, Languages 6, Myths & Legends 13, Performance 7, Persuasion 4, Riding 5, Seamanship 6, Sleight of Hand 5, Sneaking 5, Spot Hidden 12, Swimming 10
Weapon Skills: Axes 12, Bows 5, Brawling 6, Crossbows 7, Hammers 13, Knives 10, Slings 5, Spears 6, Staves 5, Swords 6
Equipment: Plate armour, backpack, silver necklace, carpenter's tools, length of chain, pony
Weapons at Hand: Heavy club, heavy crossbow, sling
Threads
- Investigate orcs of the Horned Helms at the Tombs of the Ironcrown Thanes.
- Find tomb of dwarf monarch for ghost dwarf scholar - Grimoffa
- Find out more about chest sacred to orcs, with the skull of an old shaman
- Figure out what happened to orcs in hill town of Brimdall, where orcs lie recently dead.
- Who is the dead orc Maiga the orc scavenger is looking for?
NPCs
- Grimoffa, dwarf ghost scholar who studies royalty
- Arden, young dwarf miner rescued by Halwyld
- Hclikr, lizard person animist, companion to a pegasus. Speaks some common and allied in some way to dwarves but keeps from getting directly involved. Old friend of Halwyld. Has lizard person allies near Brimdall
- Leonidas, a minotaur who wields a sorcerous axe that leads him to what he desires.
- Maega, orc warrior and scavenger wielding a light crossbow. Looking for a particular body of a dead orc.
- Tarn the Tainted, a dwarf bard. Betrayed people, werewolf allies, known to dwarves, long white braids.
Finishing Up
Time for something different with journalling solo in rural England. Yet to decide what next international solo will be.
