The Magic Sword, an OD&D Campaign. Actual Play, Episodes 28-32.

If you’re confused reading this, here’s a short introduction.

So, I’m running an OD&D campaign. It’s houserule-heavy, so in fact there is not much left of the original game apart from the general framework (but then again – what does constitute OD&D?). However, it’s still closer to the original concept than let’s say D&D5e. 

It’s more or less a sandbox, meaning there is no plot which needs to be revealed. Retrospectively – there is a plot, but it’s weaved along the way in the vein of play to find out method.

Episodes 23-27 were recapped here, you can check the note to get familiar with some of the concepts of the game.

Just as a really basic introduction: the campaign is set in a world borrowed from old Polish fantasy board game Magiczny Miecz (the eponymous Magic Sword) which was a shameless rip-off of Game Workshop’s Talisman (more on that later). I played the hell out of it as a kid and have a huge sentiment for it. And since it’s a kitchen sink type of fantasy (with a splash of sci-fi) it goes really well with old pulpy D&D.

So, let’s see what happened in another five episodes in the middle of the campaign.

Game Session 28

Pretty straightforward session – some dungeon exploration, some wilderness adventures, some worldbuilding and pushing the plot forward. By “the plot” I mean the story as it emerges from the PCs actions, there is no pre-determined scenario. After each game session I randomly determine future events and doings of major factions and NPCs. 

For the Haunted Tower I used Bastion of the Prince of Clubs map by Dyson Logos. As for Bregg’s Fort inspiration – it’s no less than the Keep on the Borderlands from the eponymous B2 module. The Apparition and the Mirror of Destruction were inspired by cards from old Polish board game Magiczny Miecz (The Magic Sword – which gave the name to the campaign), an unlicensed rip-off of Games Workshop’s Talisman from the early 90s.

PCs: Maurice (F-M 6), Zipepi (M-U 5), Uvrel (Dwarven F-M 1), Moses (F-M 3, Paladin)

Retainers: Kraga (Dwarven F-W 5), Mezrana (Dwarven T 5), Ebakle (M-U 5), Laurel (Hobbit F-W 3), Lightning from the North (F-W 1), Egon the Thunder (F-M 2), and three hired men-at-arms.

Character Advancement: Uvrel became a Dwarven Warrior, Kraga reached her limits as a Dwarven Myrmidon, Egon became a Swordsman and Lightning became a Warrior

Character deaths: one of the men-at-arms was incinerated by a Lightning Bolt shot by an Apparition

Dungeons visited: The Haunted Tower

Monsters: 6 Monitor Lizards (HD 4), 24 Zombies (HD 2), 1 Apparition (HD 5), 12 Mounted Archers (HD 1), 18 Heavy Horsemen (HD 1), 1 Anti-Hero (HD 4)

Treasure: 5250 worth of jewelry, Wand of Magic Detection (89 charges)

Special encounters & notable events:

• Ransacked the Haunted Tower (probably former tower of Wizard Ofora the Ebony, as they learned from the Medusa Queen) and acquired the Mirror of Destruction, a dark and powerful artifact.
• Monitor wizards which guarded the tower carried a ravaging disease which almost killed Moses (saved only by Wodnik’s half-divine intervention).
• Travelled to Moczadło and learned from Evetta the Steward that she established relations with a secluded culture of Lizardmen living in the marshes. They promised to lead the party to a submerged demon-keep (mentioned by the Keeper two games ago).
• Scouted Fort of Lord Bregg, the local bandit-baron.
• Encountered a patrol from Bregg’s castle. The patrolmen were ambushed, blasted with Fireballs and finished off in melee.

 

Game Session 29

This time we had a plot-heavy type of session. Bad guys seized the initiative and it required an immediate reaction. We ran out of time in the middle of a dungeon raid, so next session will start in media res which is quite uncommon for this campaign, since we usually try to reach a point of light by the end of each session.

I randomly determine weather for each adventuring day and this time it played out spectacularly as Wodnik the Demi-god revealed himself in his new temple during a furious thunderstorm.

As mentioned in the comment section of previous post: in order to determine what major fractions or NPCs will do during the next session I spend some time (usually no more than a quarter of an hour) between the games and make some reaction-type (i.e. 2d6, bell curve) rolls. First, there is a general roll for external events (2-5: unfavorable for the PCs, 6-8: no events, 9-12: favorable) and I randomly determine which factions are involved (currently 12 factions). Then I roll 2d6 for each faction to check if they do suffer a setback (2-5), do nothing new (6-8) or progress in their goals (9-12). If I've got no ideas what the results actually mean, I draw some random cards (from the board game or M:TG) for inspiration.

As you may see, I utilize whole assortment of monsters from many D&D books published across 70s and 80s – this time introducing Bonesnapper from Fiend Folio for AD&D 1ed. 

PCs: Maurice (F-M 6), Zipepi (M-U 5), Uvrel (Dwarven F-M 2)

Retainers: Kraga (Dwarven F-W 6), Mezrana (Dwarven T 5), Ebakle (M-U 5), Laurel (Hobbit F-W 3), Lightning from the North (F-W 2), Egon the Thunder (F-M 3), Hildegard the Stark (F-W 2), Diego (Hobbit F-M 3), and two hired men-at-arms.

Character Advancement: Uvrel became a Dwarven Swordsman,

Character deaths: Diego’s skull was crushed by a Bonesnapper, two remaining men-at-arms were petrified by Basilisk touch

Dungeons visited: Ancien Lizardmen Caverns under Bregg’s Fort

Monsters: 4 Basilisks (HD 6), 7 Bonesnappers (HD 4)

Treasure: none

Special encounters & notable events:

• Had difficult time pushing through the marshlands, encounterd a pack of Basilisks (five petrified characters as a result) and an unknown carnivorous lizard (evaded).
• Inaugurated a newly built temple to Wodnik in Łuczydło. The demigod himself appeared during a thunderstorm blessed the gathered crowd and turned petrified companions back to their normal form. Residents of Łuczydło became strong believers.
• Traveled south to search for a lost druid grove. Found ruined stone circles guarded by a giant stone serpent. Spirits drove the PCs away claiming that they do not serve the right powers (probably has something to do with alignment).
• In the meantime Lord Bregg’s marauders assaulted Moczadło, burned one village to the ground and abducted more than a hundred peasants demanding tribute. Glendora the Myrmidon lost her whole squad and claimed that magic was involved.
• PCs paid the tribute to buy some time.
• In the meantime it turned out that the Grand Wizard Kuro freed himself from Vampire Prince's captivity, however he was exhausted and declared he needs a long rest.
• Friendly lizardfolk guided the PCs through an underground tunnel to Lord Bregg’s keep dungeons.
• The last section of the caverns was supposedly inhabited by lost degenerated tribe of lizardfolk and their demon-god.
• Eventually, after surviving an ambush by underground lizards (the lost tribe?), the PCs reached the dungeon.

 

Game Session 30

This time our team tries a commando-style action as they (again!) sneaked up the Bandit Lord fort. Unfortunately, it does not go so well and the conflict escalates. A final showdown between the party and Lord Bregg is imminent.

If you remember, last time I mentioned that i use a reaction-type roll to determine what major factions do between the game sessions. This time I used the same mechanics to check how Bregg and his team respond to their fort being assaulted from below. The result was snake eyes meaning they do something utterly stupid. Unfortunatelly, the players were not informed of the result so they abandoned the assault when their presence was detected.

I continue with unearthing forgotten monsters. This time introducing Blindheim (AD&D 1ed Fiend Folio). 

PCs: Maurice (F-M 6), Zipepi (M-U 5), Uvrel (Dwarven F-M 3)

Retainers: Kraga (Dwarven F-W 6), Mezrana (Dwarven T 5), Ebakle (M-U 5), Laurel (Hobbit F-W 3), Lightning from the North (F-W 2), Egon the Thunder (F-M 3), Hildegard the Stark (F-W 2).

Character Advancement: none,

Character deaths: none (that was a close one!)

Dungeons visited: Ancient Lizardmen Caverns under Bregg’s Fort, Bregg’s Fort Dungeons

Monsters: 7 Blindheims (HD 4), 11 Bandits (HD 1), 3 Ogres (HD 4)

Treasure: none

Special encounters & notable events:

• Cautiously wandered through the dungeon under Lord Bregg’s fort, but one of the guards detected them. It resulted in a quick skirmish and evemtually they left the fort almost empty handed – they captured Ebormaldran the Anti-Hero, one of Bregg’s lieutenants who shared some intel about the fort, Bregg’s forces and ancient weapons running on human blood.
• During the retreat through ancient lizardmen caves the PCs were ambushed at the Temple of Seven Headed Serpent by a Lizard Demon-God (a Hydra) and it’s followers (Blindheims). Thanks to Laurel and Mezrana’s bravery the squad was able to retreat in order.
• Back in Moczadło it turned out that Bregg figured out who tried to infiltrate the fort and sent a demand to Evetta – the PCs need to surrender to Bregg or he will start to execute hostages taken during the last raid.

 

Game Session 31

See the little red arrow in the bottom left? That's how the PCs sneaked in. 

This time our team tries once again to sneak into the Bandit Lord keep. They find another way and attempt an assassination.

This session resembled a regular (i.e. post-early-80s) scenario adventure. However – such resemblance is only skin-deep. Witnessing a gathering of druid spirits and learning new information about the setting, a mission to kill the evil Lord – it all seems to be a predefined plot, but certainly it is not. It all came out naturally as a consequence of previous actions, random events, player activity and so on. The campaing is in a self-propelled stage, it needs no additional story fuel to run for another 10 sessions at least.  

PCs: Maurice (F-M 6), Zipepi (M-U 5), Uvrel (Dwarven F-M 3)

Retainers: Kraga (Dwarven F-W 6), Mezrana (Dwarven T 5), Ebakle (M-U 5), Laurel (Hobbit F-W 3), Lightning from the North (F-W 2), Egon the Thunder (F-M 3), Hildegard the Stark (F-W 2), Winfred (F-W 3).

Character Advancement: Zipepi became a Magician, Lightning and Hildegard became Swordswomen,

Character deaths: none

Dungeons visited: Bregg’s Keep

Monsters: 22 Mummies (HD 5), 1 Lord (HD 9)

Treasure: 6600gp, Armor +1, Shield +1

Special encounters & notable events:

• Decided to check the Circle of Power, a former Druid temple in the wastelands.
• Arrived near the menhirs, Maurice as a representative of Neutrality was able to speak to the druid spirits and learned a lot about what’s going on on the Wastelands.
• Arrived at Łuczydło and learned that the town was attacked by Dragon Riders armed with fiery spears. PCs assumed that they were in collaboration with the Swamp Demon to the east .
• Patroled the desert and found a tomb full of Mummies and treasure.
• Arrived at Moczadło and learned that Evetta the Steward was badly wounded during a skirmish with corpseaters (Ghouls) and is incapacitated.
• Interrogated the captured Anti-Hero lieutenant of Lord Bregg using Charm Person spell. They learned that there is a secret way out from the keep and it could be used as a way in if they have proper means (like Levitation spell which they luckily have).
• Decided to get into the keep using the secret tunnel.
• Arrived near Bregg’s chambers and successfully assassinated him (that was their first meeting!).
• Moreover, they were able to steal some books from the Necromancer and peaked at the staff table to learn whereabouts of some new locations.
• Retreated unnoticed back to the town. Realised that the assassination did not help the hostages very much.  

Game Session 32

In the immortal words of Coach Piechniczek (a famous 80s Polish football coach): sometimes you always win and sometimes you never win. This time it’s the latter.

In the previous episode the party successfully assassinated Bandit Lord Bregg. It turned out however that command over his army was conveyed to Necromancer Apolonia the Carmine in an orderly fashion, so the whole assault was futile. Another attempt was made, but this time to no avail. It seems that the Bandits are still on the top.

No new fancy pictures to show, so let’s have a look at Kribe the Bandit Lieutenant, image taken from Magiczny Miecz board game.

PCs: Maurice (F-M 6), Zipepi (M-U 6), Uvrel (Dwarven F-M 3)

Retainers: Kraga (Dwarven F-W 6), Mezrana (Dwarven T 6), Ebakle (M-U 5), Laurel (Hobbit F-W 4), Lightning from the North (F-W 3), Egon the Thunder (F-M 3), Hildegard the Stark (F-W 2), Winfred (F-W 3), Basf the Barbarian Archer (F-M 3).

Character Advancement: none,

Character deaths: none

Dungeons visited: Ancient Lizardmen Caverns under Bregg’s Fort, Bregg’s Fort Dungeons

Monsters: 11 Blidheims (HD 4), 3 Bonesnappers (HD 4), 1 Bone Golem (HD 10)

Treasure: none

Special encounters & notable events:

• Learned from Kuro the Grand Wizard that he was charmed by the Vampire Prince and surrendered seven powerfull artifacts to him, Vampire Prince can become immensely powerful and conquer the land.
• Learned that Uzadel the Stargazer is also charmed by the Vampire Prince.
• Received a letter from Necromancer Apolonia the Carmine – new Bandit Lord. She demanded items stolen from the fort to be returned. Unfortunately, the PCs sold most of them. Hostages held in the fort will have a hard time, it seems.
• Were approached by an emissary from Kribe – one of the Bandit lieutenants. Apparently there is an unrest boiling in the fort and the PCs were asked to assassinate the Necromancer as they did with Lord Bregg.
• Tried to sneak into the fort using old Lizardmen tunnels. Fought their way through but apparently after the previous assault all the doors were barricaded. Who would have guessed.
• Tasa - a new charismatic priestess to Wodnik the Demigod emerged in Łuczydło.
• Decided to venture into the desert and search for new adventures.

And here is the wilderness map as of the end of game session 32: