RPG Blokes

Dragon Warriors - The Serpents Venom (Part Two)

Subscriber Episode RPG Blokes Season 2 Episode 4

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In this episode of RPG Blokes, our adventurers delve into an eerie abandoned temple after returning from the Crusades. Guided by a mysterious patron, they face barricaded passages and undead skeleton guardians, testing their skills and teamwork. Amid escalating tension and clever strategies, the group’s camaraderie shines through as they confront haunting decisions that could impact their quest for treasure. Join us for a thrilling exploration of trust, survival, and adventure in this perilous dungeon crawl.

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SPEAKER_01

Hello and welcome to RPG Blokes. This is the second session of our Dragon Warriors live play. And before I hand over to John, I'll do a quick recap for you. After having survived the Crusades and travelled back to to Albion, we found ourselves unceremoniously dumped in northern Albion, a a long way from home, uh at least for some of us. And we managed to find an inn that would accommodate us with very little money, considering we'd paid everything to get here, paid the boatman who had decided that the journey was just too far to take us properly home. And so with no money and very little uh resources in order to to make the further journey we need to make within Albion itself, we have been preyed upon by a siren of some sort. She has offered us a job, too good to refuse, a local abandoned temple that we can enter and loot with dangers of course inherent in these things. The local Duke had sent a group of knights here recently and none had returned. And so there is there's obvious danger here. We hope we hope to do a bit better. But we're we're an extremely confident and competent group having survived a tour of the Crusades and the Holy Lands. And so are confident in our abilities to to loot some treasure. And once we do that we can go our own ways. I think we're tired of each other's company by now. So she takes us to this temple. She has local knowledge and 'cause she used to be a member of this cult, we th th and and used to live here. She takes us there and we enter the complex within a hill, and we soon found ourselves in a large central chamber with a couple of exits that have both been barricaded. She explained that when she was a child, but over to the right there was those were the forbidden areas and the areas in which she now considers that would be where the artifacts of the cult would still exist. And so the session ended with us peering over the barricade into the dark tunnel ahead.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. Well, if you guys come through, we can reset it.

SPEAKER_02

Can we can we reset it from the other side then?

SPEAKER_03

And we are agreed that we want to reset it, right? I'd rather have people who I mean, maybe we're gonna want to get out quickly, but I also want it to be harder for people to get in behind us. It's a tough shower.

SPEAKER_01

There's that also if this has been put here to keep anything contained, perhaps local residents, local communities are scared. We stir something up, we don't particularly want it escaping here and doing damage to people outside. Oh my god, did you just Did you just have a thought about the safety and welfare of others? Well that that is my job. That is my position. I have to look after the welfare of others. You've been hiding it.

SPEAKER_03

You've been hiding it really, really well. Not for you. No bless or blige. I think. Why do we do this? What is wrong with us, right? Because we've had this conversation so many times. Don't be wrong, we've had some characters that have ended up being very, very close, but very we very often end up with characters that and in real life, like I quite like you.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, you're not bad either, the barrier, I must say. Well, let's be positive anyway. So whatever's in here is stuck in with us, not us in with it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I'd rather I'd rather that rather than stir something up that guts out and destroys the innocence. Agreed.

SPEAKER_03

Well, you you watched me open it. Closing it as the knight steps forward with his lamp extended, you see ranks of skeletons in the darkness down further down the passageway.

SPEAKER_01

So we would be familiar with skeletons animating, would they, or would they to us look like they could be symbolic guardians, but they don't look like symbolic guardians.

SPEAKER_03

They're not moving currently. Alright. And Galadriot looks surprised.

SPEAKER_01

Guardians of some kind. It looks like we might have to hag our way through this.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Is that a single file? Because you described the entrance tunnel as being too abreast.

SPEAKER_03

So it's just the entrance tunnel was too abreast. This is one single file down here. Is this where the barricades were then? Yeah. So we've just removed these barricades and we're now this side of the barricade. No, you're you're still out there. We're still out there. He's just turned and shone his light down that you didn't have a light source.

SPEAKER_01

Perhaps we should stay in the main chamber and draw them into us and and fight them as they come into the room if we can somehow provoke them.

SPEAKER_03

Because we have a big op we've opened the barricade and they still haven't moved. We did open the barricade.

SPEAKER_01

I have I'm gonna pick up a rock or something, if they're a bit of like a bit of mosaic or something, and I'm gonna chuck it and try and hit.

SPEAKER_03

That'll do it. Yeah. So that raft uh you can make strength checks, see if you can get a bit of one. Well, I'm strong and I make that quite easily. Okay, so yeah, that'll that'll do a point of dump to one of them. All right, and their shields snap into position and they march forward. Now, they are in a formation, and you recognise the design of the shields as that of the Celentian uh legionaries. For the listeners, uh Celentium is the in-game uh name for the the the Romans.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so they're as old as what Romans would be to us, or is that more contemporaries?

SPEAKER_03

The armor the armour is so the scraps of bronze armour, the bits that are remaining, they're not in the best of Nick, but the shields are solid, and two of them in formation can move forward and the gap we've put no, no.

SPEAKER_01

If you wanted to push the barricade back Well, I just wanted to be in the main chamber and to uh force them to come out in single file, so then we could attack them. They are not in single file, they're coming out, they'll be coming out in twos. But you said it was only single file down now. Normally, yeah. F for us, because we have flesh and stuff. Skeletons are skinny. And the bar the barrier is removed to the point where two of them can get through.

SPEAKER_03

It's it's pulled back because you was uh making uh a way for people to go through.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, I misunderstood. I thought they'd only be able to get out in single file. And and in which case I'd like to push the barrier back together a little bit so they do only get out in single file.

SPEAKER_02

So Well, I'll be ready to receive wherever we're on the outside still. You're in the champ sorry, okay.

SPEAKER_03

While all these people are chit-chatting, I'm just gonna sort of um disappear. Yeah. Like a shopkeeper. I'm just gonna disappear. So I'll hide. You can make a reflexes check. Uh if I see what he's doing, yeah. Nice. So you get a good push on and you do manage to get the barricade into position. Right. And once once they reach the skeletal uh warriors, once they reach there, they come to a stop and snap back to attention.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Carry on throwing stuff at them, then they seem to damage it. I'll get my bow ready and shoot down at one. Okay, and I'm gonna pick up a lump of masonry or whatever is lying around and I'm gonna try and assume there's a few loose rocks, nothing dangerous. Well, you said there were there's spits coming off the wall and there's been damage damage done to mosaics and things like that. So I'll pick up.

SPEAKER_03

There'll be a few.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

So Galadria is hiding around here. She's not too keen on the undead. That's clear.

SPEAKER_01

Well, if you only have twelve arrows, it's you know you can pick them up after we destroy them. Uh huh. Unless you've got a missile weapon on throwing masonry. I've got a crossbow, but times are hard, my friends.

SPEAKER_03

What damage does this crossbow? Uh four. It's D10 and four. So it goes through armour like a nice. D ten and five. I I might have put the wrong thing, but fuck it, call it five. Can I hide, shoot, and remain hidden? No. Why not? Snipers do it all the time. Yeah, but you've got no real cover. I mean, you can be around a corner. You've got a line of fire when they're at the barricade. Okay, so I'll I will secrete myself somewhere near the barricade then, please. And Wayland's just pushed the barricade back into place. I'll be there and shoot in. What the hell? Okay. Let's get some shots in. I don't know what I'm rolling, but that was a seven, which I presume. Oh, massive. Easy hit. Easy hit. Roll a D10. Roll a D10. Uh that's a seven again.

SPEAKER_01

Easy money. So that's the armor bypass roll, the dice roll afterwards. That's right, just to explain to people.

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah. Um and now that the there's an optional rule in Dragon Warriors for doing random damage, which most systems have. Uh, but as written, and this is what I'm going to use for ease, uh, it's fixed damage per weapon type. So a dagger will do three, a sword will do four, uh, two-handed sword does five, battle axe does six. Okay. There's no roll for damage. So you roll to hit, and then there's the armour bypass roll, but then that's it. Fixed damage, yeah. Okay, fixed damage. So what does a crossbow do? If I put five, well, let it be five. Five? Sounds good. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

What's the downside of a crossbow? Is it a reload on it or oh yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Have I got to spend the next action to reload it? A couple of rounds. That smashes into the the head of the first one and it drops. Okay. Shield clattering. Another one snaps forward into formation. Uh you can make another roll.

SPEAKER_01

Well, they're doing far more if I throw motion, the maximum I could do is one point of damage. So what I won't do that. You've got enough ammo. I'm gonna draw my sword and shield. I'm just gonna be ready for them to attack, and I want to hold them at the gap. So if they do come forward, I want to be able to take them one-on-one in hand-to-hand. Okay. And I'm waiting for that to happen. I'm not gonna go in until they move. And Darien.

SPEAKER_02

I think Dirk. His name's Dirk. Dirk. Yeah, I'm gonna go. Darion. Right, so you shoot his bow uh under my attack, yes. Easy hit. Roll uh armor bypass. D6. D6. Six. Yep. Easy. Four points of damage.

SPEAKER_03

So what have you got to roll under for the armor bypass? You've got to roll over for the armor bypass. Over what? What is that armor by? Whatever their armor factory is. Over their armor factory. Uh and skeletons traditionally are uh they do have uh rating of two against things like pointy things like arrows and such.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but they're wearing armor, are they? Same as me.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. So it counts as well, is it?

SPEAKER_02

So not as much as you might think.

SPEAKER_03

It's for show. Pretty much. It's it's the knackered scraps, it's the shields that are the uh more useful things.

SPEAKER_02

Can they use that against missile weapons shield? It used to be a what is it, roller one on a D6, is it to reflect?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, but because they were standing there. No, okay, gotcha. They're not. However, with the destruction of those two, the next two step forward and use their shields and try to push. You you're placed for this. You can attack or you can try to counter their push.

SPEAKER_01

Uh so they're pushing. Do I get a if I can just step forward and swing over, swing through and over onto one of them? Sure.

SPEAKER_03

Um you can do that instead. They won't be using the shields to parry because they're just pushing.

SPEAKER_01

Do they have any defence against me?

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

So knock three off of your attack score. Okay. So I've got sixteen attack with three defence, I need to roll thirteen or less. That just rolled back off a one. It's now a nineteen, though. Yeah. So uh bloody a to my microphone caused that.

SPEAKER_03

Bad workman. Right. I mean you you've got to avoid the the spikes on the barricade as much as anything else. That's partly what it is. Right. We'll we'll go for that. You didn't want to impale yourself on a spike. Very tricky. Can't get the swing. Yeah. So that does mean they get a chance at pushing them through because you we can take them in hand to hand. They don't make any significant progress yet, but they are locked into place and pushing like a rugby push, they're going to be Okay.

SPEAKER_01

How many uh skeletons are there lined up behind?

SPEAKER_03

That you can't tell. Um you you've had to put your lamp down to have your weapon and shield ready, so you've got less light going through at this point.

SPEAKER_01

Is somebody gonna come up and stand next to me if they uh attack two on one?

SPEAKER_02

Of course. I mean I'm looking at you. I know southern softly like you. I'll be there, don't you panic. Okay. All right.

SPEAKER_01

No flashbacks from the war. Well disappearing colleagues leaving me to to suffer.

SPEAKER_03

Uh initiative is handled usually in order of reflexes. We can do a a variable if you prefer that, because you you've played other systems. I'm okay with either one.

SPEAKER_01

No, I don't mind. Well, just got just based off reflexes. I'm used to that playing Dragon Wars, I'd rather play it. Okay.

SPEAKER_03

So Harry's first. What's your Harry?

SPEAKER_01

13. I've got 16, but I've got eleven. Hopefully I'm faster than the skeletons. Good luck. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Well, it is it's brilliant. We don't have to outrun the skeletons, we just have to outrun him.

SPEAKER_02

He don't run.

SPEAKER_01

He doesn't run. I've seen these types. Because nights in Dragon Wars, they have proper full plate armour. I'm I'm kitted up by the old.

SPEAKER_03

It's quite a bit of um full plate MMA out there at the moment. What's that mean? Well, you know what mixed martial arts are. Full plate MMA? Yeah, it's a sport. Like they're competing, they're all armoured up. I mean, it is sort of somewhere between sort of historical fencing and well, but they have weapons as well then.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Yeah, they've got the whole thing. And it's just it's like a free-for-aller. It's like you see it. A grind MLS when you go to the English heritage, I've seen knights on displays.

SPEAKER_03

But this is actual combat. This is actually they are fighting each other and they're fighting for the win. Yeah. Well, when you're doing those, you you're not using uh things like daggers, stabbing weapons. It's all beating and but it's still full heavy armour. Um concussions are not unknown, you know, the occasional broken limb, but you rub some dirt and it will call you. Combat sports, people get hurt in combat sports. Yeah. It's great fun. Okay, so the skeletons are pushing, trying to push forward, but they haven't made any progress this round. Do I have to reload? Absolutely, you do. I can't do anything else. They're not um they're not in melee range. You've got throwing spikes, but they're they're not gonna do anything. Where have I got throwing spikes? You keep telling me I've got these things that you haven't written on my sheet. On my pre-generated sheet, which is still in generation as far as I can make out. It's gonna become a repeating fixture of this session, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01

Where your character slowly develops the skills and equipment as as John remembers them. Well, he should go. Oh look. Wait, where did you I bet you wish you'd chosen a barbarian framework? Right.

SPEAKER_03

Got less equipment than X. Have I got shurikans? Yeah, they're fucking sweet. So you can throw up to three of those in one action, but as you can see, their armor bypass is not really good. You see, you've got a one in three chance of actually hitting them. Um they're normally used as a poison delivery system. Well I don't sound that no, I'm gonna of course skeletons are not traditionally speaking susceptible to poison. We're still in. I'm gonna take the I'm gonna take the reload. Okay. I think it's time well spent.

SPEAKER_02

Yep. Dirk. I will shoot another arrow down at the um skeletons? Yes, nice and desit. See if it bounces off their armor. No, it bounces off their armor. Absolutely with a one.

SPEAKER_03

It either goes straight through the ribs and does nothing, or bounces off one of the scraps of armor they do have. Wayland. Now you can keep attacking or you can resist the pushing.

SPEAKER_01

I don't really want to resist the pushing, I suppose.

SPEAKER_02

It would be quicker if they were out there and we could just kill them.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so I'll attack them while I can, and then we'll deal with them as they come through after that. Make your attack roll. Okay. Yeah, I've hit that time. By how much? Oh uh by eight. Oh, easy man. Okay. So I've got Armour Bypass. So I've got armor bypass, D8 plus one, and damage five, which is plus one on each because of my strength, isn't it? I've got yeah. So what strength do you need for pluses on that one? Uh 16 or above. I've rolled four armor bypass.

SPEAKER_03

That will smash through. I do five damage. Nice. That will destroy. That one just crumples straight through it. Again, it's not actually defending, it was working on pushing. So another one steps into the breach, uh, won't actually affect this push because it's stepping in. And the other one makes no headway either. This this could be good. Galadriel yells a warning. Behind you.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

The other passage?

SPEAKER_03

The other passage.

SPEAKER_01

Brace yourself against the barricades. Keep those ones at bay. We'll we'll deal with these and then come over there.

SPEAKER_03

Galadriel's hiding. Um in the main tunnel leading down. The the other barricade over there, which is where the rope was sort of concealed and led towards. So Galadrias yelled a warning. You finish uh Harry's just finished reloading. So you can take a look there and see movement. Now all the light, such as it is, is pointing in this direction. So you can't really see the details. But there's someone beh someone behind that barricade over there. More skeletons? No. Someone. Something. Someone, something. Movement.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Something else.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

What is it? Okay, so keep them at bay and we let these through and destroy them, I think. Yes.

SPEAKER_03

So you're sort of hair-ish. Yep. Because you were snapping around there. Um you've got line of sight, but again, no light. So there's movement behind here as well. Yeah. Right, okay. Um, I will from here, I'll be keeping an eye there as well. I'm alternating my aim between both of the barricades, gauging when is best to fire. Okay, in that case, make a perception check. That's bad. That's really bad. That's okay. So that's your So but this is the thing, isn't it? If we was playing DD, I'd be fucking delighted with that. I know. So you're uh flipping flipping around between the two, and you just happen to catch his lamp where it's set on the ground right right in the eyes. You you can't see anything worth worth a damn this week. Who doesn't love a bit of critical failure? Yeah. Lovely. I mean, it's not really effective. You haven't sort of set your crossbow off or anything like that. I just look I just look a bit of a tit in front of what was your character called again, Mark S.

SPEAKER_01

So Wayland, but I don't think I'm looking at you, so I might not know the colours. Good, good, good, good.

SPEAKER_03

As long as it's not all about as long as the as long as long as the top hasn't spotted it, I'm fine. Um, if he has, you wouldn't know. This is true. Um okay, so next up is yourself.

SPEAKER_02

It sounds per this looks perfect for the eyes of the night spell. So I glance over my shoulder and cast Eyes of the Night.

SPEAKER_03

You absolutely beam of light shows straight straight in and Barry's eyes.

SPEAKER_01

Sorry.

SPEAKER_03

I like that. That would actually no, it's it as my head moves, it just makes my contact just sweeps across him. Sorry, burns his head off. Am I still being punished separately now for that 20 years? Every time I look at you, and your your red beams illuminate two figures with bows there. They have the bows. I'm gonna say if you can make an attack right you get them right in the eyes, I think that's fine. Yes, absolutely. So you literally make eyes and they they they stagger back.

SPEAKER_01

So these are people and they're not skeletons. That's what it would appear to be. They'd be people.

SPEAKER_03

A skeleton would not be phased by that at all.

SPEAKER_02

No, these are people. Cultists, treasure hunters.

SPEAKER_01

Is it mummy and daddy?

SPEAKER_03

Might be your mummy and daddy. Uh my mummy and daddy. Figures illuminated, and you've stopped them from firing bows into your backs. I guess that's an action, isn't it? The spellcasting. Yeah. Yeah. Or is it?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I think it is. I mean, you can be ready to uh I would shoot one with a bow if I could, but so you can start aiming as well, but span around because I was aiming at them. I'll be honest with you, dazzling them for that round is probably more useful than just shooting one. Uh next up is Wayland. Okay, I'm gonna swing up one of these. Someone's got some red torch beam going about, the assassin's looking up at the ceiling with spots in his eyes.

SPEAKER_01

I don't like the idea of being uh fired at, but these two have got bow and arrows. I just hold them there. Get rid of the skeletons' priority, but if I'm getting shot in the back, it's not great. But the I trust my armour to protect me at least for one round on that. So I'll swing at one of the skeletons again. John, just do that?

SPEAKER_03

Yep. Uh probably not. These spikes are stopping you from getting uh decent range on these things.

SPEAKER_01

Can I just let them get through, then I'll step back soon, I think. Just let them come through and attack them.

SPEAKER_03

I don't think you'll have a lot of choice on that one. So it's in like this, but yeah, that's right. A little bit of movement happens, then They're not through by any stretch, but they are both pushing. Just hold them like that as long as you can.

SPEAKER_01

Well if they're not gonna if they refuse to come through in single file, then that that'll take them longer to push the barrier apart, right? So I can just carry on acting.

SPEAKER_03

No, where you was smashing one every round, that that weakened it, but they are going to be going through. Galadria throws a a container behind the other barrier which shatters and smoke starts billowing out and you hear coughing. Is it a stink bomb? It probably does smell a bit sulfurous, I would guess. Fruity.

SPEAKER_02

I just wondered if I start blinking with my eyes at night, does it have a like a scrobe effect?

SPEAKER_01

Cut it out.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, uh Harry, you're you you've got you. So I'm loaded at least. You're loaded and you you blink away the spots out of your eyes. So I'll try and get a shot off of the the the bows haven't fired on us yet, though, have they? No, because he dazzled them. So I might try and get a well. I might try and pop a shot off at them. Okay. If we could have one less person with bows, that'd be good, wouldn't it? Alright, okay. Yeah. That's a great role. From fucking from zero to hero. That is a natural one. So there's a cry of pain. You're fucking right. Definitely not definitely not a skeleton. So in Dragon Warriors, when you roll a one, that's a critical success in combat, and you don't have to worry about uh anyone's armour rating. You definitely do the regular damage. Okay. Which is five.

unknown

Nice.

SPEAKER_03

I feel like I I feel like not rolling for damage is a little bit anticlimactic, but you're used to doing it. It's one of those things, isn't it? And how often do you like a really, really nice role followed by a really poor damage roll? That can happen, yeah. Yeah, so I'm in two minds about it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you're still at the stage where you're yeah, coming to terms with that. It's got the extra role, haven't you, before I had to give you a role for it?

SPEAKER_03

But yeah, so they do they do have a little table listing variable damage. Okay. Um that's the second edition thing, isn't it? Yeah, it's guys coming in. That said, most of the time with uh spells, they usually have a variable damage, but they're also they're often reduced by an armour factor. So that's the other way of doing it.

SPEAKER_01

So spells take the the other approach that could have been had in the first place with the weapons, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Critical shot. Nice. Dirk with all shoot the human that he just shot with an arrow. I've just illuminated him with my you have indeed.

SPEAKER_03

So you've got the strobe effects, you've got smoke. I mean, it's just like the black beginning of the black.

SPEAKER_02

All you need is now nice.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, do roll armor by pass, though.

SPEAKER_02

Armor bypass, got by such a thing.

SPEAKER_03

Or three. Okay, there is a following cry of pain. Four. Plum.

SPEAKER_02

Dude, did you got Frank? Need some dry ice now, pumped in. Come on.

SPEAKER_03

Next up is Wayland. Are you talking about letting these? I don't mind that I'm not.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so if I can hit them while they're still trying to get through, I might as well. I'm not gonna encourage them to push it apart, but I'm I'm still not holding them back from doing so. So I'm just attacking. And what is the defence I'm up against here? Just to give me an idea what my chance of hitting is under these circumstances.

SPEAKER_03

Well, hitting the skeletons is straight attack at the moment, because they're focused on Well, I hit last round then, because I rolled a fifteen, I got sixteen attack. You well, you've still got the uh barricade. So yeah, so what the barricades knocks off four. Four. Okay, so it's like four defense on me. I think the thing is. Yeah, if he was using, say, a spear, it wouldn't be as much. But you're using a uh a smallish melee weapon.

SPEAKER_02

I could throw him a spear if you want. I might need it for when it uh kicks off.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, I can give it back to you. Uh how long does it take to to take a weapon off somebody else? Is that an action or can I do that and still attack?

SPEAKER_03

You've probably got it on the ground next to you if you're using a bow or something like that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

If it doesn't take an action, I'd like to swap it. It will take an action. Oh, I won't do it, then I'll just hit with a sword.

SPEAKER_03

This isn't fifty DD.

SPEAKER_01

You don't get nothing for free. No, okay. Right, then that doesn't encourage me to perform the action, then does it? I'll just hit with a sword. So I've hit the sword. Yes, this one. Make an on-bifosphor. So nine on our five damage.

SPEAKER_03

Are we tracking ammo?

SPEAKER_01

I am. Yes.

SPEAKER_03

Well, how do I know how many I've got for? So you've got hold on, hold on. You've got hold on. Should this have been included on my sheet? It was on mine. For the benefit of the tape, John gave me the finger. That's how many rounds you've got. Um, so you've got nine of your uh spikes, uh, and you've got eight left of your bolts. So I had ten originally. Yeah. Okay. I have a I've got a system, alright? I've got a system. As long as you have, that's fine. Not a good one. Uh so the skeletons try to move through, and the barricade starts giving way. They will be through next round at this rate. Okay. Did I kill one last round? Yes. One shot goes out now. You're definitely gonna be the target. Because you're all lit up with the torches with everything. However, if they roll a fail, uh a bad fail, they shoot barriers. They get they get right in the eyes again, and that's not gonna happen. Doesn't, but the shot the shot narrowly misses you. They're not master archers by any stretch. So a shot stands off of the uh flagstone or uh wall next to you, a bit close for comfort. I won't flinch.

SPEAKER_01

I just on those damage charts, what's the maximum damage? Is it the the damage you do or does it fluctuate either side of the colour? It goes a bit higher. Uh yeah, I don't know. Don't worry, I'll just wonder because that would be the advantage of rolling damage then, wouldn't it? That you could do more than the preset value of the weapon.

SPEAKER_02

That's like an average, that would be, I suppose, then. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Because Dungeons and Dragons, you every monster and every weapon has a preset damage, doesn't it? And not many people use it.

SPEAKER_02

That's the average damage, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01

And that's the average damage then in Dungeons and Dragons, but in this.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so it's just the other way around in this, really.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, okay. Okay. So uh one shot which misses, which leaves us up to your Ari. Who cannot shoot? You can reload. I will reload. You probably don't want to just sit there either, but they're shooting at the closest on the line. Can I reload and hide? Yes, you can run for cover uh over to here, which will give you cover from there. So you go over to the main entrance. Uh and I want to be I want to be hidden from view, but loaded, ready to Yeah, so Galadria will be some on that side because she doesn't want to get shot either. Okay. Hey baby. And oh, and make a spell expiry roll. It lasts ten minutes.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, that one doesn't say spell expiry on that. Eyes of night lasts for ten minutes. Oh, sweet. Okay, don't worry about that then.

SPEAKER_01

So she's an assassin as well. No. Well, she's throwing stink bombs. I don't think we need our we don't need two assassins. What did the stink bomb do? She had a vial of smoke. Oh.

SPEAKER_03

Uh it is, it's exactly the same, but we'll let it be.

SPEAKER_01

So what's the smoker's effect having on on the scene then?

SPEAKER_03

It's why they missed where they were shooting him. Also, they would have to be right up to the barrier to actually see you guys. Right. So that they can see the light from the lamp, they can see the light from the eyes, but it's gonna be hazy. Okay. So she's actually made it a lot more difficult for them. For us to hit for us to hit them as well. Uh no. No. Okay. I've got my red light on them. Again, i if they're uh up to the barricade, you can see them and get shots, but it's like a game of laser quest. Easy is that. So you you went over for cover? Draw another arrow another one.

SPEAKER_02

You can make it. I miss at one point in time. Yeah, I missed off. Only by one, to be fair, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Seventeen. Sixteen attack.

SPEAKER_03

And uh Wayland. Okay. The seven are coming through this round.

SPEAKER_01

Right. Well, one of them hopefully isn't. Uh 20. Awesome. Yeah, go for it. So um fuck me up.

SPEAKER_03

You in with your blood uh lust running high, you jump forward to smash one of the skeletons. Impower myself.

SPEAKER_01

Don't tell me I've impowed myself.

SPEAKER_03

That's armor bypass, is that? Nope. You take a one-year-old down as you stumble and land unfortunately placed on one of the spikes on the barricade.

SPEAKER_01

Who put that there?

SPEAKER_03

I know, they did. Careful. Look sharp. Roll for tetanus. That's one that's one huge caltrop. Fuck. Essentially, yeah. Yep. Uh and it worked.

SPEAKER_01

Because I'm an idiot, that's why.

SPEAKER_03

And unlucky. So that's an oui. Uh probably the only damage you got Jokers are gonna take in this. If I can get myself out of this now. Uh fine. Someone help me get off. Myself and soft yeah. Now you're not impaled and held or anything like that. That would be an extra level of nastiness that I'm just not going to do. My next role is not a 20, and then how one of the skeletons can attack you. Right, I'll lift up my shield. Trying to. Uh yeah. Yeah, that's not unreasoned. Oh! Is that a one? You don't have a one you just a shield is one of the few things that can negate a critical hit. Okay, so I need a D6.

SPEAKER_02

You do, yeah. Yowzers. No pressure. Mr. Knight. No shark.

SPEAKER_03

You're too busy rubbing your owie. So you take four damage from the start.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, I've got 14 health, so I've only got now six left. That's right. That's what you need. That's what we're going so well.

SPEAKER_03

So eight in one round. That's that's pretty brutal. Uh only one only that one managed to attack this rounder. One responding shot from the archer on the other barricade. Yes. That will hit. Okay. Um that might not go through your armor though, because you've got ounces off of your mail. Yeah. You're out. We need to kill these other ones. You were in cover and you were reloading as you reloaded. Side bikes pop out and shoot, I guess. Okay, go for it. Uh, yep, that's a hit. So the ten for bypass. No, that just slams into the uh battle wave. That was a one.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Anything but a one, apparently, would have been all right. I was disappointed with that.

SPEAKER_03

No. Well, that's just scattered shot.

SPEAKER_00

But that's not fun.

SPEAKER_03

We're supposed to be having fun. Not for you. I thought it was highlight. John is not having fun.

SPEAKER_01

Barry needs an arm around his shoulder for that.

SPEAKER_03

Oh mate, I spent all that time thinking about getting cover and running over there and reloading just to go. Yep.

SPEAKER_01

Old school, mate. That's that's not what you're used to. DD, there's no way that would have happened. Disappointment after disappointment after disappointment.

SPEAKER_03

I haven't played DD for like a year. Okay, it's been a year since I've played any D. No, I'm enjoying this, I'm enjoying this. Apart from you know, obviously bullying. Stating facts is not the same thing. Anyway. So Barry's bounced. So does his character. Next up is.

SPEAKER_02

I'll attempt to shoot that person again. He's shooting at us. Or at me, to be fair, not us.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

A five, yes. Nothing easy. Here we go. Get ready for disappointment.

SPEAKER_03

A two. Title of your sex tape. Yes. That slams into the barricade and does nothing.

SPEAKER_02

How are we doing over there? This is getting more disappointing for a minute.

SPEAKER_03

Could be better.

SPEAKER_02

This is quite annoying. Yes, hold on. I thought we were better than this. It's that damn armor bypass roll. Yeah.

unknown

You did.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I've I've taken eight damage and not a single armor bypass roll was needed against me.

SPEAKER_02

My god, this game.

SPEAKER_01

What's the fucking point of wearing all this stuff? It's just weighing me down.

SPEAKER_02

I might have to cast a spell, I think. Speaking of which, I just need uh feeling I'm gonna need to save some of my magic points for healing, though.

SPEAKER_03

Have you got healing?

SPEAKER_02

Yes, but it's dark powers that draw upon the blood of the victim. I'm fine if you wish to take that.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, okay.

SPEAKER_02

Good. I corrupt you. Yourself and soft death. I have to have some magic points left over to be fair.

SPEAKER_01

Let's see if I survive the next round. Honestly, my arm has got to have some effect soon. I think you'd be alright. Kind of relying on it.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. Galadria leans over to you, she yoinks one of your crossbow vaults, concentrates, and it flares into flame. She places it on your crossbow. Don't touch it.

SPEAKER_02

I want to refund on my detect sorcerer spell.

SPEAKER_03

I'm gonna be under my action. She was looking that shows where she was under an enchantment. Well, well if it's a sorcerer, sorry. But anyway, just to thank you, thank you, my lady. See that that was manners. And it you're gone. So do I get to shoot that? Yes. Yes, that is a hit. Absolutely. Okay, roll the D 10. Yep. That's good, is it? That's good enough. And some will do five damage. Or does it do more? Because it's fire. So there's a scream and a you see someone writhing in totally covered in flames. Like total stunt man thing. Okay, okay. And uh that screaming continues until it all of a sudden comes to a stop.

SPEAKER_01

As in because they're dead. Okay. You say it is it. Do we have we worked out what it is? Can he see anything within the flames or it was referring to the screaming? It stops. Oh, it stopped.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. I think it was a pain. There was pain. Lots of pain.

SPEAKER_01

Right, okay. So they're all cultists here still good.

SPEAKER_03

That's not what I said.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I'm I'm just speaking in characters just to just make it up.

SPEAKER_03

That's why I said good. Either way, frying tonight. Cultists have knowledge. So knowledgeable person. You're excellent.

SPEAKER_02

Um the person I was shooting at or shooting me is now on fire. And dying, dead. They will be dead. Yes.

SPEAKER_03

There was two of them. Yes. I can't really see. Uh oh yeah, actually. I've got that light. Yes, you can see movement. It's not a clear shot. But he's gonna shoot me. It's a reasonable shot to make. Okay, I'll have to because it's a little bit more than a little bit. It'll have a small penalty.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, okay. I'll shoot at him because otherwise he's gonna shoot me.

unknown

Yep.

SPEAKER_02

A ten.

SPEAKER_03

Well, my if the penalty is also seventeen, nice. Yeah, so yes, that that does hit.

SPEAKER_02

Four?

SPEAKER_03

And it goes through the army.

SPEAKER_02

So another pouch of I've got six arrows left.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, I'll pick myself up. Does that I can get to my feet without any trouble? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, you just got stuck on the uh the the barricade, but not not impaled. Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

So I've got two skeletons that could be funny, but I'm not gonna do that. So I was trying my desperate to try and avoid two skeletons, but it's never gonna happen. That's right, you've just got defied your defence. It's absolutely I shall swipe at one of them. And I don't know what defense is.

SPEAKER_03

I don't know how many there are behind. A defense of You don't want to be shot in the back, that's even worse. Five, sorry.

SPEAKER_01

Five, okay, I've hit.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. I'll help you in a second. They will roll for shield. Does not work.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, well uh six armor bypass and do five damage.

SPEAKER_03

Excellent. Okay then.

SPEAKER_01

Can I now see anything more about how many I'm facing here? You can make a perception check. No, not with five perception, I can't.

SPEAKER_02

Can I turn my head down that direction as he says? Do you want to?

SPEAKER_03

Do you want that to wash over his past his head down the line? Yeah, I will.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I mean, if you can't.

SPEAKER_01

I'll just just glance across and beam the light down and go literally right in front of me and down the corridor. I'd like to get an idea.

SPEAKER_03

I'll let you re-roll your uh perception roll then.

SPEAKER_01

It's still a five.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. You do see several others behind the ranks that you're fighting.

SPEAKER_01

Three, and I've killed. Did I kill that one on me just now? I said several, as in some.

SPEAKER_03

Is there a generator? You're telling me how many there are? What you can see is several. You've had a sudden flash of red light that you didn't control.

SPEAKER_02

How many is several? Make perception wrong. Yeah. I mean several.

SPEAKER_01

Oh my god, just tell us how many there are. Yes, I didn't. Several. Oh Christ.

SPEAKER_02

If my if I was gonna estimate as several, I'm gonna go for 36 then. Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Alright, so happily take that as the number.

SPEAKER_01

We're never gonna work out how many we're facing, so I don't know whether to retreat or not. No, hold there. I'll be there with a minute.

SPEAKER_02

I've got two on me. I could be dead in a minute. Use your shield and your armour.

SPEAKER_01

Come on, Sarin Softy. Okay. Actually, I said okay before I understood what you just called me, so fuck off. No, no, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_03

Screw you. Better. So you smashed the one on you, so there is only one and that misses.

SPEAKER_02

So it's I can deal with all the guys.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_03

There is no response, no responding shot from the other side of the barricade.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. Well, I'll I'll warn them that he's over there, Mr. Barry, um, Harry. He's in there somewhere. Um I'm gonna help this uh Soverna.

SPEAKER_01

You're gonna have to help me if because if I take another hit, I'm gonna run. Run away, run away! Lost a retreat. Is that what you're trained for, sir? There's no glory to be had fighting skeletons and a looting mission, is there? I need to get out of here. Is this gonna there's a limited amount as well, so I'm just gonna like them unlimited. Spawn point. Spauntless spawn point. That is true. I should get a spawn point behind you. Do do do do do badly.

SPEAKER_03

Can't see a target actually. I'm pretty sure there's someone behind there, but it's a blind shot. So I haven't actually I I should reload, really, shouldn't I? Probably a good idea. Yeah. So I'm going to Unless you want to jump into the smoke. I was planning to reload and sort of walk into the smoke. Oh nice. But so yeah, I come out of the smoke, you just light sort of loads of the lights behind me. And out of the smoke, you just see the point of my crossbow bolt before you see anything else.

SPEAKER_01

This is about sci-fi as Dragon War escapes.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, yeah, I love it. But I might also go, oh, I don't remember much of these stink bombs. So I can reload and walk. Yeah, yeah. It looks cool. Yeah, because it looks fucking cool.

SPEAKER_02

I will sh wing my spear down and replace the bow with it and jab at one of the skeletons then. Okay, if you just drop the bow and do that, you can do that this round. Then I'll do that then. So I'll do one of the skeletons. Okay, go for it. What defense does a skeleton have against me? Then I hit. Good enough. Armor bypass. Oh, it's got a shield.

SPEAKER_03

I want a shield. It's two D4 for unless you're using shield, in which case it's a few. So it would have been two D4, but it still caught you on the shield.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_03

Why are you pointing at me? How do you like it? Skeletons. So one's going to go for you, but you do get your full defence because it's not split. Your defence is more than adequate for for that because it's uh nine defence. You can do this all day.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, he probably needs a one to get me.

SPEAKER_03

The one that caught your spear, that that's attracted its attention, lunges forward at you and bat that side with no problem at all. Easy money. Harry, you stride forward with your own theme music playing in the background. If you want to vault the uh thing, you can do it. It is a reflexes check, or you can climb over with no role, but you would effectively Be prone. I'm volting it. Volt it. Cool as fuck. Roll it. Damn straight. Right, well am I rolling into your reflex? Slide across it. Massively unrolled off of a 17. Didn't that nice? Okay, so you you flip over that with all the skill of your with the grace, with the grace of a gazelle. Yep, which nobody sees because of the smoke. And disappear down the ten-foot trap. He's run off, that's fine. And you you land. You can give me a stealth roll as well. No. No, it's dead on. No, yeah, I know, but still. Well, well, no, well, what's the rule? You roll under or equal to. Is that not? There's still a bit of move. There is a modifier to this thing. Isn't it against percent? It's not a massive amount of, but there was like a scuff, a footfall as you land. It's fine. Okay. Superhero landing, you know, you're gonna get okay. I was in the middle of combat as well. I wasn't actually trying to be that stealthily, I guess. It's something that your character does though. Yeah, okay. Or not as good as we're ending. That's right. So you sort of freeze expecting uh an attack or response. Nothing.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. I'm just I super keeping my wits about making it just. So you've got smoke around you. Yeah. The the barricade should shield your silhouette from the light going on behind. You're you think you're in a pretty good position, but you also haven't got anything to attack right now. Okay. Spin the spear back at him. Oh, 20.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, you suck.

SPEAKER_03

Balls.

SPEAKER_02

Did suck balls.

SPEAKER_01

What you have? That hurts.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, well, sorry.

SPEAKER_03

That hurts.

SPEAKER_02

That's not gonna be Or do I leave the spear inside the skeleton, maybe? Go straight through him.

SPEAKER_03

I like that.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. I think I jab too hard.

SPEAKER_03

So what I'm going to do is still not a guarantee, but it you won't have a defence on this. Okay, but I still got hold on the spear, though, you think unless if you drop your spear, I'll give you your evasion as defense. Clinging my spear and jabbing it.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so hold on, you've rolled a 20, you've got away with the fact that you just missed, basically. Oh, I definitely missed.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, fuck yeah. Yeah, it spears you.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. I assume that's not getting away with it.

SPEAKER_03

No, that is definitely not getting away with it. I do need to almost blagged that. What did I say?

SPEAKER_02

I can't remember though. I said that.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, maximum on that. So you take four damage. It just steps forward. Uh, your spear straight through its ribs, which did absolutely nothing, and it just grins at you and runs, stabs you with builds. Yeah. There goes my healing. Yeah, goes away. Because I'm first. I assume so. Well, maybe maybe he'll heal in the background and not tell anyone about it. I mean, you know, the sort of bust who does that.

SPEAKER_02

Well, I do deserve it. It's okay. I've got three magic points left. I, you know.

SPEAKER_03

Which you'll keep for yourself. How many hit points do you get back with each other? D4. One D4. D4 for each one. So it might be nothing. Basically. So, Wayland. Right?

SPEAKER_01

Um you hear a cry of pain from your comrade in arms. Curses. I appreciate you coming alongside me. And I shall attack. And that's hit with seven degrees. Yeah, easily. I'm sorry, seven, seven, seven points. Well, yeah, armour bypass. What's armor to me? Of old nine.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, you easily smash another skeleton down. They are they fall like chaff in a field. It's easy. Are they all using spears? Is that what they've got? Uh they do have other weapons there, but primarily it's uh spear and shield.

SPEAKER_02

I don't want to point this out.

SPEAKER_03

No, no, no. You're simply correct, hoisted by the own wash names.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, because I only got it because it bounces. So I'm so your healing's more intact now, that's all that's what I'm saying. You did blag it without any damage.

SPEAKER_03

No, no, no. Just let him get past the armour, doesn't he? I'm okay to back backtrack when I'm in the rule. Yeah, if he's got a shield, unless he defends get away with it. Attack with a shield.

SPEAKER_02

One rule for one, one rule for the other. Yep, yep, yep. That's fine. Yeah, that's all good.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, he tried the counter, which failed. One steps into position to fight you, but won't actually get an attack this round. The guy in the smoke. I'm gingerly moving forward through the smoke with my crossbow primed and ready to rock on a hair motherfucking trigger. Okay, so you can hear shouts in the distance. Okay, uh the alarm has been raised. Uh a s a wounded survivor got away. A lot of people in this abandoned token was abandoned. I mean, everyone's abandoned. Off to your left, you s you see a small storeroom with some uh rations like dried meats, preserved things. They look to be quite old, but palatable. Can I take the opportunity to just grab a handful? Sure. You never know, we might get hungry. Oh, you are hungry. So you can grab some jerky on the way, it's absolutely fine. Split the pie. Yeah, it's fine. Split the pie and just fucked off from you guys. Okay, yeah, well, fair point. Right. I mean, you could have followed me. Well, we needed help. So so you will uh manage to dispatch the skill bit between you with your combination of skill and armour, mostly. So drop their shields. Hold on, hold on. So with uh my skill and their armour.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but you're a victim. If you need healing then at the end of this.

SPEAKER_03

Old laser eyes over there pulled his weight. I'll give him that.

SPEAKER_01

I think I've killed about five skeletons.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. I mean, I think they were already dead. You've got piles of bones all around you. Okay. The the shields are quite serviceable, but they're about the only bits of sort of armour you might.

SPEAKER_01

That's not the kind of loot I come in here for. No, I think I'll be looking for something better than that. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Can we can we do a bit of healing? I'll should cast my healing spell on the knights, then of the year's willing.

SPEAKER_03

Chanting in a combination of an ancient forgotten dreadling. Put my fingers in my ears.

SPEAKER_02

I think my eyes will roll back into my head and it'll definitely not back hill.

SPEAKER_03

I cover me eyes. No blast.

SPEAKER_02

No nun shiva, no nun shiva.

SPEAKER_01

I see no evil, I hear no evil, and I get healed. That's all I've got. See how much faith you have.

unknown

Fine.

SPEAKER_01

One. And he can't. After all of that, I can't see again. You don't need to. That's your magic points gone, Stein. Don't worry about it.

SPEAKER_02

Well, I've got three left. I've got look, I've got um. Two left. Yeah. Well, after this, I've got two left. I've got seven wounds left. This is the most useful spell that you can cut. Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Imperial is really good.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but healing is much better, isn't it? Because I I can summon Mark as a warrior that can fight for me. I'm still alive. Yeah, exactly.

unknown

Two.

SPEAKER_02

So it's three and two. So I've got one left. Thanks, sir. Honestly, that is that is the best use of those. Yeah. Give you three more points than just someone eases, whatever.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. Okay. So you've got one spell left. I have one spell left. One first level spell left. One first level spell left.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, they're not great, to be fair. Yeah. Yeah, no, they're right. Yeah, they're very situational.

SPEAKER_03

I mean, there there is a house rule for uh blood magic that you really want to get into sacrificing your your blood or some maybe someone else's for I don't think magic's going to be done in front of me, but otherwise we could.

SPEAKER_01

There's plenty of people in here that probably deserve to be sacrificed.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I'm up for it.

SPEAKER_03

So you've got two ways onwards. There is a storeroom you can grab armloads of supplies, but that that would just weigh you down at this point. You're hoping for treasures.

SPEAKER_01

Oh my god, this place is literally a functioning town or city, isn't it? I mean, what the hell is going on? I'm looking at this woman and saying, seriously? This isn't the forbidden temple I thought it was going to be.

SPEAKER_03

People needed to eat. There's a dining hall down here. You said this place was empty. It said it it was a cult that was ravaged and there was Well. Clearly, those that butchered my family uh didn't stop to eat.

SPEAKER_01

Well, hold on, hold on. I mean I'm I'm having trouble motivating myself to go out and loot because they're sure it's nothing here now that they're gonna let us have freely, or anything of value that might be lying around. Why don't we let the other chumps come in and have a go at it? They'll be here soon.

SPEAKER_02

It is true.

SPEAKER_01

If they were ever coming. I'm gonna get myself killed in here. It's not my intention to get myself killed this morning coming into this place. Where's the treasure?

SPEAKER_03

Well, that that would be probably up here, but certainly something in carry on up there then. Possibly the priest quarters, but we weren't allowed there because they're not Catholic. I want to be clear, there's two options are like either we get treasure or Wayland dies. That's kind of it's isn't that a win-win?

SPEAKER_02

I think we should carry on the same way as the skeletons, because they are. I don't think we should be going up into the um go that way. That's where they were.

SPEAKER_01

But what's gonna stop these fellas up here with their um how many people are up there? There's enough food there to feed feed a small army. So uh yeah.

SPEAKER_03

But the food is very, very, very old. It hasn't been getting it's stored here, but it's not like it's been getting used and replaced.

SPEAKER_01

I don't think So what did we hear coming up here? You said that there was some somebody fled and and have alerted other people.

SPEAKER_03

Somebody's yelling a warning, yes.

SPEAKER_01

So what have you heard up there? Anything else, any signs of how many people?

SPEAKER_03

Other than that, nothing.

SPEAKER_01

Well, we should and these people are obviously scared and barricade this these things away from getting to them, so they might not pursue us as we go down, but they might wait around for us as we exit. Well, let's go down and have a look. And actually we'll leave it there uh before we do that. And thanks, John. Uh another great session, and we look forward to bringing you the third and final part of our Dragon Warriors live play in a week or two's time. Thanks, guys.

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