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Actual Play Vignettes: [Red Box Hack] The Cavern of Winter Sorrows

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  1.  # 1
    After the last RBH sessions I'd played I had an idea for a straightforward combat-heavy scenario set in an Ancient Orient that never was.....

    Session 1 - Long, long ago......

    Pre-play: The 4 players (3 had played the last adventure) created their characters - all wanted to be human:

    'The Ox' Hiroko
    Male: strongman clan foot soldier, black hair coiled into topknot
    Warrior (charger): +4 Daring, -1 Sneakiness, +5 Size
    Spear (Reach), Great Sword (Very Heavy)
    Full Lacquered Wood Armour (Very Heavy Armour - Reach weapon makes it Uber).

    Cheung the Resplendent
    Male: vain elderly clan wizard with long white eyebrows and moustache.
    Magus (puppet strings): +2 Alertness, +2 Daring, +3 Eloquence, -1 Sneakiness
    Staff (Reach), Fine clothes
    Lacquered Wood Breastplate (Light Armour - Reach weapon makes it Heavy)

    Katsumi Shadowsister
    Female: enigmatic clan scout, cropped black hair
    Longrunner (two things at once): +2 Daring, -1 Eloquence, +3 Sneakiness, +2 Stubbornness
    Knife (Light), Bow (Ranged)
    Lacquered Wood Breastplate (Light Armour)

    Beastfriend Minimoto
    Male: bratty feral kid, usually rides on Bolo
    Mystic (companion*): +1 Alertness, +1 Sneakiness, -1 Size, +5 Stubbornness
    Sling (Ranged), Wolf-tooth necklace
    Lacquered Wood Breastplate (Light Armour)

    * Bolo
    Giant Boar (Natural Weapons): +4 Size, +1 Stubbornness
    Full Lacquered Wood Armour (Heavy Armour)
    Tusks (Heavy), Trample (Heavy)

    I decided to start the scenario 'in media res' after watching Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain which starts with the heroes trying to escape from a battle. We decided the 3 adult characters were all from the losing side, the Jade Heart Clan and crossed paths with the wildboy and his boar as they escape. The characters fight with two waves of mooks (16 altogether) and defeat them relatively easily - highlight include Cheung surfing on a treetrunk into the enemy and causing a soldier's sword to turn on its wielder, Hiroko and the boar smashing through the footsoldiers while Katsumi shoots while running through the trees.Then more troops arrive, trying to surround the party.The players knew they're be caves and retreat into one. As the enemy draws nearer the party push on deeper into the caverns. The wildboy tells the party that villagers who've entered the cave have never returned (We decided on this beforehand - it was going to have 'rescue the villagers' as a CARROT, with the pursuing army as the STICK) and that they're believed to be cursed. Some enemy troops follow but most decline - why follow the party when they're dead anyway ?

    So far the player knowledge (that they're gonna end up in a cave) hasn't detracted from the fun. That boar's pretty lethal !

  2.  # 2
    Session 2 - Spirits of the Sanctuary

    Oh no - only 2 of the players can make it (playing Hiroko and Katsumi) - they decide that the party are resting in the cave and the two clan soldiers reminisce about a similar underground situation - they are escorting the son of the clan leader to the family shrine within a mountain to pay respects to his ancestors - but the shrine and surrounding tombs are infested with hopping vampires (as in Mr. Vampire). We play through the journey into the mountain and the combat - Hiroko guarding the son while Katsumi found out shooting the vampires full of arrows didn't stop them - they would have to be beheaded. Cheung's player arrived and brought in his character 'here comes the cavalry' just as the son was down to 2HP. After a couple more rounds of fighting as the characters hack their way out of the cemetary the scene shifts back to the present, Hiroko recalling how he saw the son slain hours before, in the battle. The players decide Minimoto is asleep against Bolo and the characters vow to avenge their clan.

    It kinda worked - the defensive tactics as Hiroko guarded the son contrasted with the earlier session and there was banter and flirting that established the relationship between the soldiers. There were points of conflict requiring Stubbornness and Eloquence rolls as well as roleplaying the arguments. Also, Cheung's player has now established the magus as the leader of the party, the other characters deferring to his tactical judgement and seniority.

    As quite a few XP were gained I made a mental note to allow Minimoto's player to flashback at some point to balance it out a little. ( I FORGOT ! )

    - tune in soon for the next episode - same time, same Hackchannel !
  3.  # 3

    So awesome.

    But what's up with the magazine?

  4.  # 4
    Cheers! I'd like to say it was an artistic statement on the usage of leisure time but it was due to a flimsy sheet of paper needing to be flattened out because of a broken scanner lid. The Louvre has been on the phone already.
  5.  # 5
    Session 3 - Sweti: The Smell Of Fear

    After resting the characters venture further into the caves (yep, I was being lenient and letting Bolo and Hiroko squeeze through). At one point Cheung fell down a pit for 2HP damage. The tunnel opened up into another world - a land of ice and show, towering forests and rolling hills. Cheung's player (John) said, "Ah, the legendary Cavern of Sorrows, we must tread carefully."

    There is a long winding road through the hills - there is some player discussion as to whether they should be out in the open but the characters follow Cheung's lead down the mysteriously snow-free cobbled path. The wind picks up and there's a snowstorm during which a huge creature attacks - it's the Sweti, who injures Cheung , throwing him onto the roadside (with only 2HP remaining). The characters attack the Sweti but all roll badly when trying to Assist or Show Off . The Sweti spends the resulting 4 Awesome Tokens on reaching into another arena ('on back of Bolo') and clawing Minimoto (doing 4HP damage - the feral kid is now beaten and bloodied: 1HP left). Over the next three rounds the tide turns in the party's favour and Bolo makes the killing blow. The party carry their wounded to the forest's edge as dusk approaches. Cheung uses 'puppet strings' to thatch together a shelter out of fallen branches and twigs with the help of Katsumi and Hiroko.

    The session ends there. Only Katsumi and Chueng's players can attend the next session - I've asked the players to think how they'd prefer to get round that (but not another flashback so soon).

    Here are the monsters within the COWS statted up for you:


    BLACK ICE - ice elemental: +1 alertness, +4 daring, +4 eloquence, +1 sneakiness
    weapon: claws (light), armour: none, talents: fast, entangle (in ice) XP: 20

    FLESHKIMO (leader only - rest are mooks) - carnivorous halfling: +4 alertness, +1 daring, -1 eloquence, +5 sneakiness, -1 size
    weapon: stabbing spear (reach), armour: furs/leather (light - but reach weapon makes it 'heavy'), talents: bloodlust, minions, XP: 18

    ARCTIC MONKEY: -1 daring, -1 eloquence, +4 sneakiness, -1 size
    weapon: ranged (catapult), armour: none, talents: flight, hard to see (can camouflage in snow - goes white, armour becomes 'light'), XP: 11

    SWETI - large smelly humanoid: -2 eloquence, -3 sneakiness, +4 size, +4 stubbornness
    weapon: long arms with claws (reach), armour: heavy (cause 'reach' moves it up a class), talents: throw, snowstorm summoner, XP: 13 (yes, only 13 !)

    COUNTESS CALLISTO - evil gothchick: +3 alertness, +3 daring, +2 eloquence, +3 sneakiness, +2 stubbornness
    weapon: darts in sleeve (ranged), armour: none, talents: siren, swarm (makes armour 'light'), XP: 23
  6.  # 6
    Oh, and I soundtracked the session with 'Yuan' for the journey and 'Torture Garden' for the fight !
  7.  # 7
    digression:

    Last night I heard from a bloke who's into Westerns and fancies hacking the Hack, so initial ideas:

    - tribes or guardian spirits/totems ? - crow (longrunner), bear, rattlesnake, wolf
    - chief (warrior), medicine man (mystic)

    any ideas ?

    Also, maybe a scenario in a Jason and the Argonauts stylee or with satyrs, minotaurs as character classes.
    • CommentAuthorAntoine F
    • CommentTimeFeb 2nd 2008
     # 8
    Hi Sean,

    I didn't have the time to react yet, but I must say that your game sounds great. I would have liked to play it with you !
    The PCs are all very colorfull. It must be a pleasure to find ideas for them, as a GM. And I like the mystic a lot. It's very close to the character I made for me (but could'nt play yet as I always GM...).

    Also about hacking the hack : I'd like to see what you come up with. I had ideas myself to do some pulp action (with a Villain instead of a monster and A Machination instead of a treasure) or some In Nomine (with Archangel patrons instead of classes, a demon instead of a monster and a sin instead of a treasure). But so far I have a problem figuring what to do with armor. It fits the dungeon genre well, but with native americans or pulp heroes, it's a bit contrieved. If you have ideas, I am interested.

    Best,
    Antoine
  9.  # 9
    Thanks Antoine, I especially like the pulp action ideas, I think the Awesome Tokens would suit the spirit of that genre, with the Villain showing off or the Hero's bravado.

    As for RBH itself, we've all commented that the character generation is quite evocative and allows players to think beyond the stats and not feel constrained by huge lists of skills.

    We were sitting in the pub last night when Dave said, "why not sci-fi, hacking Dark Heresy?" Wish I had the time, it could be done but it'd end up more of a slapstick comedy in my hands. I fancy a lighter tone, a more pulp SF setting, Flash Gordon maybe.....hmm....

    You can have too many options !!!!! - I've posted something about this on Eric's blog.
  10.  # 10

    Session 4 - The Legend of the Heart of Ice

    Only 2 out of the four players turned up - Katsumi's and Cheung's. They'd figured outa scene where a rested Cheung walks into the woods while the others look after the still-recovering Minimoto in the shelter. Katsumi followed after a time and quizzed the magus about the Cavern. Now I'd not given any backstory to the players but I'd let them look at the stats/sketches of the inhabitants. Cheungs' player (John) made up a tale of the witch Callisto being imprisoned in a world within a cavern after she tried to turn the whole world to ice using a ritual involving a gem - the Heart of Ice. At this point 4 Fleshkimos (1 leader, 3 mooks) attacked - but were soon defeated. The characters sped back to the sheleter where Hiroko, Minimoto and Bolo were being attacked by more Fleshkimos.............

    Session 5 - Storming The Castle

    All players present - the characters battle their way through 12 Fleshkimo mooks but the leader wounds Bolo so the beast is on 1 HP. The party win the battle and find the road to the Castle - fight 3 arctic monkeys on the way to Callisto's stronghold - Cheung uses his power to unlock the gates at night -sneak in, fail Sneakiness checks - all hell breaks loose as the characters fight their way in through Fleshkimos. Callisto and her Arctic monkey bodyguard join the fray using the siren power to disadvantage the players, showing off to gain Awesome Tokens, and finally when the mooks had been slain, turing into a swarm and using the ATs to hit and severly wound Hiroko. Callisto is defeated (Cheung levitates the throne and heaves it at her to score the killing blow) and the villagers being kept as slaves and prisoners (food for the Fleshkimos!) are liberated. The party (minus Bolo - they decide he's too big, and on 0HP) immediately venture into a crypt below the castle (though they're all injured) where the Heart of Gold is kept, gripped by a metal fist on a plinth. Then Black Ice, the gem's guardian, attacks, using Entangle and Showing off. Hiroko and Katsumi escape the ice and defeat the Elemental over 6 rounds - lots of moving arena to arena - until Minimoto's shoot finishes Black Ice. Cheung's power prises the metal fist open and they take the gem. The party and villagers leave the castle to return home, the characters aim to sell the gem to finance their vengeance against the rival clan. As they leave the Castle, Spring returns to the Cavern, the gem's spell was broken.

    (and then we went down the pub)

    We thought it was quite gritty, the party taking hits, the waves of attackers. The monster powers turned out to be cool and the party made full use of their talents and brought in their limitations (e.g. Hiroko boasted throughout) - though I wonder if these could be linked together more, you use a talent/ the limitation has to occur significantly at some point before you can use the talent again ?***

    edit: ***just read another AP thread where John Harper talks about compels - sound idea ! - if not compels, well something like that .....
  11.  # 11

    Right on. More good stuff, Sean.

    How did you end up handling Bolo going down to 0 HP? I know you mentioned something briefly on another thread, and the rules are kinda vague on the subject. Did you assume that Bolo would recover? Or did you roll to see if he would, like you'd do for a PC?

  12.  # 12
    I rolled like I would for a PC because the rules mention 'death immunity' - is this a hangover from the 1st edition ? - Minimoto's player said he'd have preferred it if Bolo could've just died when HP hit zero then his mystic could befriend another animal - would give a bit more variety and would stop the 'companion as tank' situation that occurred.
  13.  # 13

    It is a holdover from the 1st edition. I knew the death immunity thing was still there, but wasn't sure how I wanted to change it and I figured folks would be able to figure something out when it came down to it.

    I agree with Minimoto's player - I think I'd like to see companions coming and going too.

  14.  # 14
    Yep, think I'll handle it that way in future.

    One thing I felt about this adventure in comparison to the Naga City one was that it was like the characters were acting at the edge of their ability in combat so the monster balance must have been better this time.
  15.  # 15
    I think the next RBH thing I'll do is a dungeon to try out monsters with more powers - so it's basically a monster lab - cuz the badassness of a creature with many headed and blast stood out when i read the powers.

    - and treasure to carry - "you'll have to ditch that armour to carry the sacred idol"
  16.  # 16

    ...so it's basically a monster lab...

    From my point of view, that would totally rock, Sean.

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