What are y'all up to these days?

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Running some Ultraviolet Grasslands when I can, I played three sessions so far.

Love the art, like the ideas of the setting, every session feels like you opened a Metal Hurlant read five disconnected small stories and had fun. Not a very deep setting, but it has a lot of potential to express creativity and works great with small preparation. Overall a really good work, and I recommend checking it out.

The UVG PDF is expensive IMO, but since I like Luka's ideas I grabbed it. I'm not sure if I will buy the printed version, even though I'm having fun, I'm not 100% about playing the whole campaign. It takes quite a long time for the caravan to reach the Black City and I still can't confirm if my interest will hold that long.

Working towards running Pendragon by the end of the next year.
 
Metahuman News
This week we are closing out our Deadhead preview with the Mystic and Husk, and then taking a deep dive into the Serendipity Talent. The Mystic marks a major turning points for the Deadheads. These are not wannabe goth kids playing pretend, but blood mages, far removed from the streets they once called home. Husks on the other hand, represent all those who tried and failed, paying the ultimate price, their soul.
Deadhead, Mystic (Low Powered Enforcers + 5 Templates)
Those initiates that show an aptitude for ritual are given rites that allow them to transfer the pain they’ve felt in life to others. While Mystics still wear the traditional scrub and bone garb of the rank and file, they often adorn themselves with cloaks or trenchcoats as a display of power. The true tell of a Mystic is not the jacket, but the ritual scarification they undergo to infuse their bodies with curses they can summon at a moment’s notice. Like other Initiates, Mystics don’t run the street like Meat and Blood, but rather always seem to appear when called on.
Note: Mystics may also have the Striker Template, but often forgo the Sickness in favor of their more potent arcane abilities.
Deadhead, Husk (Classic Mindless Undead + 4 Templates)
Not all Deadheads survive the second initiation. Their souls stripped from their bodies, they are transformed into mindless embodyments of hunger. Husks can be commanded by anyone who has consumed the icor and survived. Rumors persist of small gangs being wiped out by a single mystic leading a pack of Husks. While Initiates and Mystics may speak about Husks openly, they are never revealed to Meat or Blood, as their possible fate may turn them from the path of the Deadhead.
Serendipity Spotlight
From the core book:
Serendipity (Fortune)
The character has better fortune than most when it comes to random chance. The character may use their Serendipity on any Cinematic Addition roll.
What does this mean? Typically, GM's will set the stage by describing places or locations. However, it's virtually impossible to describe everything that might be in a given scene. Players often ask if something is present, and a roll is often not required, it either fits, or it doesn't fit into the scene. Cinematic Additions are there for those times when everyone goes, well, yeah that could be there. In these situations, the GM will a Target, often between 10 and 25. The player then makes a Fortune + Serendipity roll. How do we interpret this?
Good Serendipity means finding five bucks on the ground while you're on your way to lunch, an industrial trash bin, filled with soft things when jumping off a building, or perhaps the most famous example, a firehouse at the top of Nakatomi plaza, but before the roof blows up.
Used judiciously, Serendipity and Cinematic Additions are a great tool forgiven players additional agency, in a way that feels fitting for the character.
Want to learn more about Metahumans Rising? Check us out at: http://housedok.com/
Order a copy of the core book: https://studio2publishing.com/products/metahumans-rising?_pos=2&_sid=145b3fa95&_ss=r
Or, pick up the PDF: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/277614/Metahumans-Rising
 
It seems to be pinched nerve. And I couldn't take the medecine she suggested (coupling antiinflammatory and analgesic properties) because it's of the "non-steroid" type (which I don't know anything about, so I don't know why they should specify that it's not steroid:shade:).
Except I was still taking antibiotics, and she warned me combining them would put, how to say, undue stress on my liver...:devil:
Instead, I applied a gel she recommended as well, and it seems to have at least reduced it somewhat. But I'm really looking forward to starting taking it today!

Either way, no alcohol for me for a couple more weeks:grin:!
 
AsenRG said:
It seems to be pinched nerve. And I couldn't take the medecine she suggested (coupling antiinflammatory and analgesic properties) because it's of the "non-steroid" type (which I don't know anything about, so I don't know why they should specify that it's not steroid:shade:).
Except I was still taking antibiotics, and she warned me combining them would put, how to say, undue stress on my liver...:devil:
Instead, I applied a gel she recommended as well, and it seems to have at least reduced it somewhat. But I'm really looking forward to starting taking it today!

Either way, no alcohol for me for a couple more weeks:grin:!
Click to expand...
NSAIDs have weird drug interactions.
 
Dumarest said:
Obviously you then muttered, "Bah! The cure is worse than the disease! I shall live with the Sword of Damocles hanging over my head! Good day, madame!" and stormed out.
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Actually, I'm just quietly taking my prescriptions, since I'm not much of a drinker anyway. But your idea sounds more dramatic, so let's say that this is exactly what happened:grin:!
 
I went and bought 3 add ons for Crusader Kings II (The Republic, Sons of Abraham & Sword of Islam) from Green Man Gaming. Each was cheaper than buying directly from Steam (sure it's only $1.47 less, but still), and you get a steam key to add to your library. I haven't played it in months (the laptop I was mainly playing on was having issues, and I didn't have the spare cash to take it to get fixed), but I was considering starting up again soon
 
finally, at long last, we gamed.

when last we left our party, they had just defeated a band of lizardmen and naga/yuan-ti who were clearly guarding the cave. after leaving their horses outside, they enter the cave. not long after, they fall victim to the illusions of a diabolical aboleth, lurking in a pool nearby. the paladin falls in, alerting the aboleth, and he latches onto the warrior of Ganesha. the minotaur helps try to pull him out, but something in the back of his mind remembers his crew going down to aboleth attack, and he promptly berserks (passion - hate abberations). initiative is rolled

the magic user goes first and casts light on the other side of the illusion. the monk increases his brawn to help out the paladin. the dragonborn rogue flies up and through, and the cavalier leaps into the water. then the minotaur follows along wiht the monk, as the rogue starts to dive bomb the aboleth, and the paladin jumps in too.

then the magic user cast lightning bolt at the aboleth, in the water, while surrounded by 4 guys in metal armor and one without armor. oops

it promptly goes spherical in the water and everyone in a 20' radius goes incandescent. He promptly knocks the paladin out, takes out the minotaur's arm, both of the monk's arms, and singes both the cavalier and the rogue. he does a total of more than 180 points of damage, and doesn't kill the aboleth. it was frankly quite amazing, and better than I could have hoped.

now we've got folks who have failed aboleth slime endurance rolls and are going to get slimy, the unconcious paladin (necklace of adaptation, the best possible scenario here if you gotta have someone unconscious), and a half disabled party. the magic user starts trying to redeem himself and pelts the aboleth with magic missiles - 3 of them, then another 3, battering down the fish-thing. notably the aboleth gets angry at this and tosses out a domination on the wizard - who miraculously fails his willpower roll.

Now, instead of casting spells, I had him leap into the water and take a big inhale of aboleth slime. he fails BOTH endurance rolls and now cannot breathe air and must stay wet and is dominated. he's aboleth's bitch now. while the others try and attack him, the monk tries to pull him out, fortunately, the wizard is a puny elf, and is weak, but he manages to magic missile the monk (I was kind and let him willpower roll to control the intensity of his cast) in the gut.

in the end of it, they removed 2 tentacles, a tail, and finally head shot the thing with a spear. it required 17 castings of cure serious wounds to recover from the fight, and they were in enemy territory. they rested briefly so the minotaur could recover his fatigue (having spent some to cast more healing) and get a few magic points.

they continue down into the tunnel and it opens up into a ravine, with jungle plants hanging down. Some buildings, old and ruined and cyclopean, are in front of them. they fly up or climb up on trees to see around - and see hundreds of lizard men and some lesser number of nagas working to uncover this city. they see some hobgoblins, with weapons, being escorted down a promenade that looks important. they have been fighting a bunch of those...

1575133059359.png

soon, they will meet the God-Kind Apophis and his sorceress concubine Wadjet.



1575133333857.png
 
Raleel said:
finally, at long last, we gamed.

when last we left our party, they had just defeated a band of lizardmen and naga/yuan-ti who were clearly guarding the cave. after leaving their horses outside, they enter the cave. not long after, they fall victim to the illusions of a diabolical aboleth, lurking in a pool nearby. the paladin falls in, alerting the aboleth, and he latches onto the warrior of Ganesha. the minotaur helps try to pull him out, but something in the back of his mind remembers his crew going down to aboleth attack, and he promptly berserks (passion - hate abberations). initiative is rolled

the magic user goes first and casts light on the other side of the illusion. the monk increases his brawn to help out the paladin. the dragonborn rogue flies up and through, and the cavalier leaps into the water. then the minotaur follows along wiht the monk, as the rogue starts to dive bomb the aboleth, and the paladin jumps in too.

then the magic user cast lightning bolt at the aboleth, in the water, while surrounded by 4 guys in metal armor and one without armor. oops

it promptly goes spherical in the water and everyone in a 20' radius goes incandescent. He promptly knocks the paladin out, takes out the minotaur's arm, both of the monk's arms, and singes both the cavalier and the rogue. he does a total of more than 180 points of damage, and doesn't kill the aboleth. it was frankly quite amazing, and better than I could have hoped.

now we've got folks who have failed aboleth slime endurance rolls and are going to get slimy, the unconcious paladin (necklace of adaptation, the best possible scenario here if you gotta have someone unconscious), and a half disabled party. the magic user starts trying to redeem himself and pelts the aboleth with magic missiles - 3 of them, then another 3, battering down the fish-thing. notably the aboleth gets angry at this and tosses out a domination on the wizard - who miraculously fails his willpower roll.

Now, instead of casting spells, I had him leap into the water and take a big inhale of aboleth slime. he fails BOTH endurance rolls and now cannot breathe air and must stay wet and is dominated. he's aboleth's bitch now. while the others try and attack him, the monk tries to pull him out, fortunately, the wizard is a puny elf, and is weak, but he manages to magic missile the monk (I was kind and let him willpower roll to control the intensity of his cast) in the gut.

in the end of it, they removed 2 tentacles, a tail, and finally head shot the thing with a spear. it required 17 castings of cure serious wounds to recover from the fight, and they were in enemy territory. they rested briefly so the minotaur could recover his fatigue (having spent some to cast more healing) and get a few magic points.

they continue down into the tunnel and it opens up into a ravine, with jungle plants hanging down. Some buildings, old and ruined and cyclopean, are in front of them. they fly up or climb up on trees to see around - and see hundreds of lizard men and some lesser number of nagas working to uncover this city. they see some hobgoblins, with weapons, being escorted down a promenade that looks important. they have been fighting a bunch of those...

View attachment 13813

soon, they will meet the God-Kind Apophis and his sorceress concubine Wadjet.



View attachment 13814
Click to expand...

Awesome!

Classic Fantasy?
 
I'm running a game every Thursday night for two of us sitting in front of my computer and three people sitting at a friend's house in West Haven, Ct. It's Glory Road Roleplay, the system I just put up for sale on Drivethru. The characters are about to face a Lich, after the mage opened a hole in the ceiling and the Lich fell from the floor above. He's kinda of shaken up but it's still probably going to be a tough fight.
Our Wednesday game, also online between south Florida and the wilds of Connecticut, is on hold because the GM (C.J. Carella) has to finish a novel or I believe Yog Sugoth will eat him. I am playing a Finnish cavalryman in the service of Gustavus Adolphus in the thirty years war. But we have somehow wound up in a fantasy setting. I can't wait to resume. C.J. runs GRR too.
Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to run a face to face game for the first time in awhile. I am using my rules, of course, and a Silk Road setting.
 
Finally get to rest after a week of cooking, traveling, feasting, and deal hunting. Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and a successful Black Friday. Really looking forward to reading the Invisible Sun pdf from Monte Cook Games I picked up during Black Friday sale. Been eyeing that thing for a while and when it went I sale I couldn't pass on it. Looking forward to reading it tomorrow.
 
I just did up the treasure. We are playing classic fantasy, and thus it looks like 1e/2e. The aboleth had 15000 silver, 6000 gold, 12k gold of gems, 18k gold of Art, a couple of magic items, a couple scrolls, and a potion. Total loot was 31000 gold worth. Enough for living like a literal king for 3 years.

the art I put together off of a random generator.
  • A gigantic (6' x 8') etching depicting a search involving a broad-shouldered, righteous warrior maiden. It was done in a detailed style. It is in decent condition.
  • A medium-sized (2' tall) bone statue depicting a promise involving a very tall, sly archer and a mace. It is in very good condition.
  • A large (2'x3') etching depicting a takeover involving the a famous son of a god. It is in good condition.
  • A medium-sized (1' tall) bone sculpture of a mouse and a cat. It was done in an old-fashioned style.
  • A very small (2") metal sculpture depicting a discovery involving a girl and a necklace. It was done in a very detailed style. It is in very good condition.
  • A somewhat large (3' tall) platinum sculpture of a hawk. It was done in an idealized style. It is in good condition.
  • A medium-sized (1' square) engraving depicting a bet involving a strikingly attractive shepherd and a very tall squire near an altar. It was done in a hyperrealistic style. It is in great condition.
Some of this stuff came from the city ahead of them, but some of it I think will be useful as bargaining chips with other factions. It’s probably enough to get them some army help from the dwarves And maybe to buy off the nagas.

i am incredibly amused by the treasure level, and it is providing me with a challenge of how to deal with it. However, just going to the magic item store is not going to be an option in the short term. War is coming, and manpower is more important than cash.
 
First face to face game in some time. First hurdle, two of the players choose to play Tocharians in Blue Pool, an oasis city in the Tarim Basin. When it comes to choosing names, we often go to a page with names for x ethnicity. Well, there are not Tocharian baby name lists, since the language has been extinct for many years. One decided to use a Russian name, why not, and picked Vladimir. The other, since he was playing a priest, decided to take Rasputin. The Saka nomad got named Roxanne, certainly a name common enough in the Iranian language family and we could sing it to her player if we got bored.
Rasputin suspected something wrong in the stream that fed the Blue Pool. His goddess was in charge of the stream and the pool and he was the high priest since his mentor had died. So, he got a couple of people to come with him to investigate. Vlad came along because he was Rasputin's friend and it was his civic duty. Roxanne was broke and there was no caravan guard work readily available, so she agreed to hire on as long as Rasputin and/or Vlad took care of all expenses and she got a decent wage for a six day trip, three out and three back.
On the second day out, Roxanne spotted a mirror signaling on a nearby hillside. That was odd because no one goes into these hills anymore. In fact, they had discussed how there wouldn't be bandits with on one to rob.
Fairly soon, a woman appeared on a nearby ledge and asked them wtf they were doing in the hills. Roxanne shouted back an obscenity but Rasputin said that they were there on holy business. The woman then said "You're Ema's apprentice?" and he said that he had been but that his mentor had died. Then he remembered seeing her before. She was a Saka caravan guard and had been seen arguing with a merchant about her pay the night before said merchant had turned up with a slit throat. So he said "We aren't here to look for outlaws, you go your way and we'll go ours." Then a large man stood up near the trail and said "good, father Rasputin, watch out for griffins. There are some nesting further along the trail." And another large man stood up, taking an arrow off the string of his longbow.
Late that night, Rasputin was on watch and he heard someone say "Shut UP and go to sleep; it's midnight" from near, but not in, the camp. His first impulse was to say "It's not midnight, it's almost three in the morning" but he figured that would be counterproductive. While he looked for the source of the voice, it repeated the phrase about every five minutes. He woke Roxanne and her loud, cursing reaction woke Vlad. While Vlad donned his lamellar armor, Rasputin and Roxanne searched the nearby area. They found a pile of bones nearby and Rasputin wrapped the skull in a cloth. That muffled the sound. Vlad and Roxanne went back to their beds. Over the remaining hours before dawn, Rasputin remembered hearing about a similar event in a house at another oasis. That voice kept repeating "I told you so."
The next afternoon, they were attacked by three griffins. They killed the griffins but one of them killed Roxanne's horse. She had another horse but she had a fit, cursing and stabbing a dead griffon repeatedly. At least Rasputin learned some new words.
When they passed the last tributary, they noticed that the main spring-fed stream was nearly dry. At their last campsite before getting to the spring, a wyvern attacked Roxanne, who was standing watch. She wounded it and woke the others and it gave up when faced with that much opposition and flew away. However, Vlad was also wounded and was dizzy for a few minutes before falling paralyzed by its sting. Evidently, Roxanne was made of sterner stuff (she made her save)
Rasputin climbed up to the spring and saw, to his horror, that it was blocked by a huge stone. He called Roxanne up to help him and she brought Vlad's lance, which they used to pry the rock off the spring and move it away. They were congratulating themselves when they saw that it was slowly rolling back toward the spring. So they pushed it off the cliff and it shattered when it landed, fortunately not on poor Vlad.
There's more but to cut it short, they got home with two griffon eggs.
 
Spent Saturday at Dragonmeet in London and had a great time. Attended the Chaosium Seminar and heard about their exciting plans, then played 3 Games, a Gloranthan skirmish where the Mob of Trollkin was surprisingly effective (Made some Scorpionmen run away, survived a Vomit Acid and a scorpion Pit and, best of all, made the Troll Player beg for their help); an interesting SuperHero game where you draw your Character's Actions on a series of panels that are put together to make the game (The GM does all the narration of what happens, so it is fun but odd) and a Questworlds super Hero game set in 1970s New York, we played a cowboy, a Native American, a construction worker, a cop, a sailor and a biker, it took the GM until the third character was introduced to work out what was going on, I played Dude, who had 2 Powers, Flower Power that could calm people down and Knows Everyone, he only ever used Knows Everyone and it was surprisingly funny and effective.
 
LoL, @ great cultural reference. I had a player, playing the lead singer in an Elven Fusion rock band, who asked herself "what would Grace Slick do?" every time she had a decision to make in one campaign. She caused some chaos..
 
Need to figure out what one-shot I'll be running for the library's Savage Worlds game this Wednesday. I know we'll have at least one brand new player, so I'll need to bring my A-game and make a good impression. The last few times I've used adventures from Savage Daddy's One-Shot Wonders. They work really well for the format, and there are two in that book that I have not yet used, so I'll probably pick one of those two.
 
E-Rocker said:
Wishing you & your clan a speedy recovery, Bunch.
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thanks. To add to it Comcast is acting up and I'm also playing pretty constant tech support for cranky people. Don't get in my way if you see me without coffee.
 
Metahuman News

Thanksgiving may be over, but that doesn't mean we have to stop having fun with the holiday. It's time to revisit an old friend, Gobbler! Genetically engineered to be the prefect turkey, this giant bird triggered a rampage years ago. This year, having healed it's wounds, Gobbler falls on the city with an army of giant wild turkeys!

The article includes a short set up, Gobbler's army, and a stat block for the burning butter breathing turkey or terror themselves. Enjoy! http://housedok.com/gobbler-ii-the-tide-of-turkey/

Want to learn more about Metahumans Rising? Check us out at: http://housedok.com/
Order a copy of the core book: https://studio2publishing.com/products/metahumans-rising?_pos=2&_sid=145b3fa95&_ss=r
Or, pick up the PDF: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/277614/Metahumans-Rising

#Metahumans #MetahumansRising #Superheroes #RPG #Thanksgiving
 
Bunch said:
The Bunch Clan is sick. I'm the most healthy adult so I'm pulling double duty. ( I said doody). Kind of tired of being puked on and hearing my name yelled to do something.
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All of y'all get well. Illness sucks.
I'm in a bit of a mood from yesterday (had to call to fight an old fight for some paperwork, that I don't need anytime soon, but it would be nice for them to just let it go at this point, its been 14 years, and I will do what I as poor as I am to lawyer up.)

Other than that, well, been writing on my novel. I've been thinking a lot about game and game writing and where I'm going next. I've got a lot of ideas. Even something if you squint will be old school (but squinting may be needed) BECM is the inspiration, but with nods to Warhammer and its career paths, and 2E AD&D and some more modern stuff.
 
Bunch said:
The Bunch Clan is sick. I'm the most healthy adult so I'm pulling double duty. ( I said doody). Kind of tired of being puked on and hearing my name yelled to do something.
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Hang in there, Bunch. Hope everyone recovers fully, and soon!


Silverlion said:
All of y'all get well. Illness sucks.
I'm in a bit of a mood from yesterday (had to call to fight an old fight for some paperwork, that I don't need anytime soon, but it would be nice for them to just let it go at this point, its been 14 years, and I will do what I as poor as I am to lawyer up.)

Other than that, well, been writing on my novel. I've been thinking a lot about game and game writing and where I'm going next. I've got a lot of ideas. Even something if you squint will be old school (but squinting may be needed) BECM is the inspiration, but with nods to Warhammer and its career paths, and 2E AD&D and some more modern stuff.
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Sounds right up my alley! Looking forward to it.
 
soltakss said:
We like to think that we walked through The Sanctuary (Gay Disco-based Nightclub in 1970s New York) when a group of young men looked over at us and thought "Now, there's a look!"
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If your super-team is ever short on dough, there's no need to be unhappy. You can pick yourselves up off the ground and stay at a place where they have everything for men to enjoy. You can get yourselves clean, you can have a good meal. You can hang out with all the boys and do whatever you feel. Just put your pride on the shelf and go to the YMCA. It's fun to stay at the YMCA.

 
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Library game is tonight. I will be running A Wolf in Hero's Clothing, the superhero adventure from Savage Daddy's One-Shot Wonders. It will be my first time running a superhero adventure, and, as a lifelong comic book fan, I'm kind of excited about that :smile: .

ETA: It was fun. The adventure as written came to an unsatisfying conclusion, so I improvised a little more story & a battle against a Big Bad who was behind it all. I think I pulled it off. :smile:
 
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My Ubuntu laptop is long out of date (14.04LTS). I haven't updated because the last time I tried half my stuff failed to run after the update. It's getting to the point where I can't put it off. So I have a strong suspicion I'm going to be putting a lot of time to simply get back to where I started. I hate this part.

Kids are feeling better though so that's good!
 
Currently running four games:

Saturdays, face to face, I am running Weirder Stuff, an ultra-light hack of StarCluster 4 for Stranger Things. Players have 2 characters, a kid and a teen in High School. They face monsters and Agency Dudes with slingshots and bikes and a lotta luck.

On even Sundays I am running a StarCluster game that has been running since 2002, over IRC, using SC 4. Space based SF game.

On odd Sundays I am running an Elizabethan supers game using Look! Up In The Sky! A game designed by my son. Players are trainee special talents on their own trying to end the Seige of Leith, Scotland in 1560, facing a necromanceress determined to keep the French army in Leith.

Tuesdays I am running Sabre and Bird, a mashup of SC 4 - Sabre and World, my Sword and Planet/Planetary Romance game, mashed up with the setting of Volant, the world of floating islands and riding birds. Players are mostly Southern Californians who got here through a rift, with one native alchemist.
 
On Wednesday I nearly managed to murder two PC's in my 5E game. With a Purple worm. They're ninth level. and my world isn't Uhm. Fixed? So that encounters only happen where they expect. So with multiple critical hits, they hurt BADLY.

I am proud they were challenged and had fun.

I did cheat, though after that and I trapped them with no chance for escape afterward, at the end of game night.

I did give them inspiration for it. But I know better to try and capture a large party with legit dice rolls, as I've been the one with the crazy lucky escapee PC's on too many games. I should tell you about my character from the Treasure Hunt module (scribe, zero levels, Gm added a scene of us being captured, my die rolls were EPIC) and that poor scholar escaped everything until the GM just said you know what you are just clobbered!

I need them to escape, I want them to, I want them to see the world they escape into as its the largest city in the game world, and see how oblivious these people are to their own potential demise as trolls attack. While the city is filled with thousands of enslaved trolls (they heal from abuse! They can be reproduced easily.) But I need them to see the city ignoring trolls at their gates while the wealthy do their thing in the upper city. With slaves. So they see the horror of this place. It will be fun. Twisting expectations on "trolls" sure some DID try and kill them, but now?
 
Playing in ongoing Rolemaster 2nd ed campaign. The party is attacking an Ogre Village that straddles a small river and we are quite outnumbered. We came up with a Clever Plan (TM), which necessitated splitting the party in two groups. The Sneaky group went off to do their things, while the Main party circled the village and hoped to come out near the prisoner pens. Our hope was that the Sneaky guys would create enough of a distraction that the pens would be lightly guarded, so the main troupe could then free the prisoners and balance out the numbers a bit.

The two groups had no way of communicating while separated, so DM went to a split table.

No plan survives contact of course, En route to our assembly point, the main party ran across ogre children in the forest. The kids ran, and we missed catching them. Knowing the alarm was raised, but unwilling to leave our friends in the lurch by abandoning the plan, we adjusted our marching route, made a wide arc, and thanks to our excellent guide came out near of the forest on a low hill near the pens. From there we saw a gathering of the village. The Ogres were mustering up, and preparing to send a force into the forest to track down and destroy the sighted Main Party. Just then, one of the Ogres’ longhouses caught on fire on the other side of the river and a single arrow slammed into the Ogre Chief, wounding him, but not critically. Momentary confusion on Team Ogre. Recovering, the Ogre Chief barked orders and his force split into three bodies. One went across the river, the Chief led another into the forest to find Main Body, and a third were Stay Behinds.

Time to move. We snuck down the hill (six of us) and were 150 feet from the pens when we were sighted by the Stay Behinds. They charged. They had more numbers but were unable to envelope us because of terrain. Fierce fighting followed. My sorcerer's first spell (Minor Pain) failed against Big Mama Ogre, but the second (Sleep V) went off but only slept one of the nasty ogre children.

Six rounds in. The hard pressed fighters in our group, some of whom have had to face two foes, have given good, but it remains a toe to toe slog. Lots of wounds, no kills yet. Weirdly, two of our party's shields were destroyed in bash attack criticals, and a third's shield was torn off in melee.

Both of the fighters on our right flank are currently stunned, so my poor sorcerer will have to enter melee in order to plug a gap. For one round, maybe two. No time now to cast a spell (one PP left) . He has a club and a shield. He will try for a flank, scream loudly and probably wind up parrying desperately

And at that moment, thanks to an exceptional open-ended perception roll, sorcerer sees three ogres run out of the woods on the other side of the river. They are wounded and scared. Fleeing. Seems our Sneaky friends did very well in their separate combat, killing half their foes. I can only hope they are in good enough shape to come to our relief ... and quickly.

Great adventure, two sessions in. DM has done very well managing the split table, timelines and fog of war (for the party and for the monsters). In game, everything is on edge. Beautiful, memorable, tension.
 
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