Failed Weather Mods and a First Look at the Midnight Fights Scenario

Last time I was considering adding bonuses or penalties to stat checks according to the severity of weather. The idea was to try out stat check mods on the party's barbarian. He had decided to climb the leg of a giant monster and attack it from underneath. Unfortunately, the encounter came to completion before the weather tables produced the freak storm I was counting on.

I did get some time to ruminate on using the mods. At a later date, I'll incorporate them and post the results.

Here's an update from tonight's PBEM session:

The sky clears and the moon illuminates the plains. The party; including Elvin, Jericho, and the Monk; decides to travel around the northern end of the fest grounds. Soon, they hear the voices of others traveling on the trail to the old barrows. With Kromang in the lead, the party folds into the long line of revelers heading for the subterranean arena. 

Along with the rest of the crowd, the PCs are drawn through a pair of expertly-crafted, faux tomb doors and down a wide set of stone, torch-lit stairs. The crowd passes through a four-way intersection before finally setting foot in the arena. 

From this perspective, looking down past the wooden stands and onto the oval-shaped arena floor, the party can make out some interesting items.

1. A bloody fight is already underway. A lightening quick rapier-wielder is carving unwanted tattoos on a shirtless gladiator. Blood flows freely down the gladiator's sinewy chest.  

2. A woman garbed in all white is seated high in the risers to the South (to the right of the PCs). Oscar, Elvin, and  Jericho recognize her as Laddal. She's seated with a half-dozen guards. Occasionally, runners make their way up the stands to trade small items with her. She's not aware of the party.

3. Down on the arena floor, just outside the dirt area where the gladiators engage, fight managers preen over their prize fighters. You notice two managers screaming at the current fight. The first, a tall half-elf, seems out of place in his exquisite finery. The second, an aging dwarf, regularly slams his peg-leg on the decking for great effect. 

4. The entire area is riddled with entrances/exits. Hallways at various depths circle outside the main arena room and spill out onto the risers. 

5. Tooth, seated on the north side of the stands, gives Kromang a huge wave and a warm smile.  

C. Aaron Aldridge 2013

Concerning Weather and Acrobatics

Currently, in our 2nd Edition campaign, the Barbarian class PC has decided to climb a two-story monster's leg. The plan, I assume, is to cripple and down the Plainspider from underneath. I'll make a monster manual entry for Plainspiders at a later date. We'll see how the barbarian fares over the next few rounds.

That leads to my exercise. At what speed do wind velocities affect or even negate attempts to leap from one point to another? At what density of rain/hail falling is a character likely to lose a precarious grip? At what elevation does a character receive a penalty for attempting a mundane activity?

Certainly these tables have been created before. If possible I'd like to simplify each instance to a penalty or bonus to a stat check. The barbarian/Plainspider scenario will be a great place to test the playability of wind/weather effect penalties. I'll post the outcome.

C. Aaron Aldridge 2013

Insanity at the Spring Rendezvous

It's been awhile since I posted. The group has since completed the forest temple quest and moved on to some intrigue at an annual fair. Here's a recent update to the campaign. I'll try to be more active here in the future.



Oscar is the first to hear the low, rhythmic clanging of what he recognizes as gongs. Then he sees the people. Guards, revelers, shopkeeps, waitstaff, entertainers all running north (toward the rest of the group) at full speed. "The alarm! Plainspiders!" one guard yells. The entire mob is panicking. "Head north! Stay away from water sources!" another guard yells over the heightening crowd noise. 

Seconds later, the crowd surges over the rest of the group. Billy pulls you deeper into his booth. "Works of Antarkus!" he curses. "That fire and the unbearable heat must have set them on the move. We'll have to make our way out of the grounds. Stay away from open water or you'll get yourself trampled by the buggers." Billy moves NW through the crowd toward the gates.

At first Oscar thinks he sees trees leaping over the walls of the festival grounds. Then he thinks to look up. The trees, he realizes, are red, chitinous legs. Atop the uppermost leg segments Oscar sees a huge brown ball of fur. A sickening green proboscis unfurls from the front of the beast's body. That's when Oscar finally takes in the immensity of the creature. Standing over 2 stories high, it resembles a giant spider but with crab legs and a furry brown body. Oscar chills when he notices the beast has no discernible eyes or mouth. The proboscis probes the ground about 50 ft SW of Oscar. The Plainspider is travelling East. 

The rest of the group see the creature just after Oscar. There must be more than one. You can hear further crashing to the SW. 

C. Aaron Aldridge 2013