MR = [(20 * avg dmg) - 35] / 17 = [(20*16.5)-35]/17 = 17

Oracle Rules: (2d6-7): -5,4: No, and... -3,2,1: No 0: Chaos: Whatever was happening in this scene is disrupted; no, but; yes, but +1,2,3: Yes +4,5: Yes, and...

2023-03-06: Setup {{{1 I've been hired to rescue the local Mayor's daughter from the bandits who kidnapped her.

• Does the Mayor know why the bandits kidnapped her? +1, yes
• Is it for ransom? -1, no
• Is it to force the Mayor to do something? +3, yes
• Is it to stop the Mayor from investigating/pursuing the bandits? +4, yes and ...to stop him from exposing their leader.
• Is the bandit leader a member of high society? -3, no
• Are the bandits actually a secret cult? -1, no
• Is he a sorceror? -4, no, and ...he is in fact violently opposed to the use of magic.

So: the bandit is a lowlife with delusions of grandeur, on a personal mission to eradicate magic. He kidnapped the mayor's daughter to stall him from pursuing them, but also out of spite because the mayor's daughter is magically gifted.

• Does the mayor know the location of their hideout? 2, yes

So: Gronk gets the location from the mayor and sets out.

• How hard is it to locate their hideout? 3 attempts

First Attempt {{{

1. Am I attacked? 2, yes
2. By the bandits? 2, yes

2 Bandits (MR 8, 1d6+4 each): {{{2

Gronk: 14 Bandit 1: 8 Bandit 2: 8

Bandits: 19 (1s) Gronk: 10 Gronk takes 19-10-2 = 7 damage

Gronk: 7 Bandit 1: 8 Bandit 2: 8

Bandits: 15 Gronk: 19 Bandit 1 takes 19-15 = 4 damage

Gronk: 7 Bandit 1: 4 (1d6+2) Bandit 2: 8 (1d6+4)

Bandits: 13 Gronk: 7 Bandit 1 takes 1 dmg

Gronk: 7 Bandit 1: 3 (1d6+2) Bandit 2: 8 (1d6+4)

Bandits: 16 Gronk: 16 Draw

Bandits: 15 Gronk: 16 Bandit 1 takes 1 dmg

Bandit 1: 2 (1d6+1) Bandit 2: 8 (1d6+4) Gronk: 7

Bandits: 9 Gronk: 16 Gronk kills Bandit 1 and does 5 damage to Bandit 2

Bandit 2: 3 (1d6+2) Gronk: 7

Bandit: 8 Gronk: 20 Gronk handily dispatches the last bandit. 8 AP. }}}2

Gronk searches the bandits.

• Does he find any treasure? (likely) -1, no
• Did the bandits have a nearby camp? (likely) 4, yes, and... ...he also finds a couple of healing salves (2d6-7 CON, 0 = full heal) (x4)

He rests and uses 4 salves (2, 1, 1, 2) for 6 CON (13)

Second Attempt {{{

• Am I attacked? 2, yes
• By the bandits? 0, interrupt
• Big (+) or small (-)? -4, very small

A large bandit (MR 16) emerges from the woods, draws his flail and starts approaching. Suddenly the air is filled with angry chattering -- the oafish bandit has trodden upon a pixie nest, and they all come out in a swarm, attacking both of them. They find themselves joining up to save their own lives.

32 Pixies (each MR 1; 4d6 as a swarm; no adds, but each rolls for spite damage) {{{2

32 Pixies (4d6) Big Bandit: 16 (2d6+8) Gronk: 13 (3d6+5)

Pixies: 18, 6 spite G&B: 30 They manage to crush 12 of them before as they're still exiting from their nest; however the bandit takes a couple of hits (6 dmg)

20 Pixies (3d6) Big Bandit: 10 (2d6+5) Gronk: 13 (3d6+5)

Pixies: 7, 5 spite G&B: 27 Bandit takes 5 spite, but the remaining pixies are exterminated. (32 AP) }}}2

• The Bandit is at 5 CON now. Does he continue trying to fight Gronk? (--) 0, interrupt

As the bandit opens his mouth to speak, an arrow zips through the air from the depths of the forest.

• Does it hit the bandit? 3, yes

He slumps to the ground, dead. Gronk dives for cover, scanning the woods for signs of the hidden archer.

• Does he spot the attacker? 2, yes
• Can the attacker see Gronk at the moment? 5, yes and... ...he's already shooting by the time Gronk spots him.
• How far away is he? Gronk can reach him in 1 round.

Archer (MR 16, 2d6+8) {{{2 Archer: 16, 2d6+8 Gronk: 13, 3d6+5

Archer shoots: L1SR vs DEX (11) = 18, misses Gronk charges at the archer, roaring.

Archer: 16 Gronk: 15 The Archer's blow glances off Gronk's +2 armor.

Archer: 9 Gronk: 14 Gronk does 5 dmg to the Archer

Archer: 11 (2d6+6) Gronk: 13 (3d6+5)

Archer: 10 Gronk: 17 Gronk does 7 damage to the archer

Archer: 4 (1d6+2) Gronk: 13 (3d6+5)

Archer: 5 Gronk: 12 Gronk kills the archer }}}2

Gronk searches both corpses.

• Does he find any treasure? -3, no
• Does he find any clues about the bandit leader? 4, yes and... ...according to a letter Gronk finds on him, it turns out the archer was the bandit leader's brother.
• Does the archer have roughly the same build as Gronk? -2, no
• Is there anything else on them? 0, interrupt ...two soldiers emerge from the wood while Gronk is searching the corpses.

The soldiers look at Gronk, then at the bodies. They tell him they've been sent by the province Duke to pursue these bandits. Gronk says he's employed by the mayor for that same purpose, and they decide to join forces against the bandit clan.

2 Soldiers: MR 20 (3d6+10)

The soldiers tell Gronk that they've been tracking these bandits to their hideout nearby.

The Hideout {{{

The party cautiously approaches the hideout.

• Is it a cave? -5, no and... ...it is actually a fairly well-defended abandoned fort that the bandits have repaired and built up
• Do the soldiers know anything about this fort? 1, yes
• Is there a secret entrance/escape route they can use to get in? 0, interrupt ...yes, but the bandits undoubtedly know about it. It lies at the bottom of a dry well, so not only will getting in be difficult, the ascent up the well puts them in a dangerous situation.
• Is one of the guards approximately the same build as the archer? -3, no
• What is the strength of the guards posted? 4, very strong (80% strength, MR 45 total)
• Do the soldiers have any kind of cunning plan? 2, yes

The soldiers dress Gronk up in the archer's clothing and tell him to play along. They approach the fort, carrying Gronk, and throw him on the ground face-down. "Come out, Bartholemew!" they shout. "We have your brother!"

• Do they believe it? (-) -1, no

Bart, the leader, looks out, sees Gronk lying there, and immediately sees through the ruse. "Do you think I'm that stupid?" he laughs. "Men, let's show our guests a good time." And they come out to attack in full force.

Bart the Bandit & Friends {{{2 Bart: 24 (3d6+12) Bandit 1: 16 (2d6+8) Bandit 2: 16 (2d6+8)

Soldier 1: 20 (3d6+10) Soldier 2: 20 (3d6+10) Gronk: 13 (3d6+5)

• Do the soldiers have any missile weapons? -1, no

Baddies: 53, 1 spite Goodies: 57

Bart: 24 (3d6+12) Bandit 1: 14 (2d6+7) Bandit 2: 14 (2d6+7)

Soldier 1: 19 (2d6+10) Soldier 2: 20 (3d6+10) Gronk: 13 (3d6+5)

Baddies: 53, 2 spite Goodies: 53, 1 spite

Bart: 24 (3d6+12) Bandit 1: 13 (2d6+7) Bandit 2: 14 (2d6+7)

Soldier 1: 18 (2d6+9) Soldier 2: 20 (3d6+10) Gronk: 12 (3d6+5)

Baddies: 49, 2 spite Goodies: 50, 1 spite

Bart: 24 (3d6+12) Bandit 1: 12 (2d6+6) Bandit 2: 14 (2d6+7)

Soldier 1: 18 (2d6+9) Soldier 2: 20 (3d6+10) Gronk: 10 (3d6+5)

Baddies: 47, 1 spite Goodies: 58, 3 spite

Bart: 24 (3d6+12) Bandit 1: 7 (1d6+4) Bandit 2: 8 (1d6+4)

Soldier 1: 17 (2d6+9) Soldier 2: 20 (3d6+10) Gronk: 10 (3d6+5)

Baddies: 32, 1 spite Goodies: 55, 3 spite

Bart: 16 (2d6+8)

Soldier 1: 17 (2d6+9) Soldier 2: 19 (2d6+10) Gronk: 10 (3d6+5)

• Bart is deprived of his men and badly wounded. Does he retreat? 0, interrupt ...Bart produces a bomb and lobs it at our heroes.
• How strong is it? 4, very strong

The bomb explodes, doing 11 damage

Bart: 16 (2d6+8)

Soldier 1: 13 (2d6+7) Soldier 2: 15 (2d6+8) Gronk: 7 (3d6+5)

Baddies: 17 Goodies: 43, 1 spite

Gronk thrusts his sword and catches Bart square in the throat. 56 AP }}}2 Gronk and company enter the fort to find the mayor's daughter.

• Are there any more bandits inside the fort? -1, no
• Do they find the girl? -3, no

"Odd," says one of the soldiers. "The girl you seek is missing, and the fortress itself is strangely deserted." They search the fort for clues.

• Do they find any letters? 1, yes
• Is it from the bandits' boss' boss? 3, yes
• Is it signed? 1, yes

So: The letter instructs Bart to send a few of his men and bring the girl to Arrigo, who is apparently the man behind the bandit clan.

• Do the soldiers know anything about this Arrigo? 0, interrupt ...yes, but he is actually a member of the city council.
• Is he friendly with the mayor? -2, no

The soldiers know that Arrigo has a villa in the country; they suspect that she has been sequestered there to keep her out of sight. They set out for the villa.

• How long does it take to reach the villa? 2 stops
• Is there a convenient inn to stop at on the way to the villa? -4, no and... in fact they have to sleep outdoors.

}}}1 2023-03-10: To the Villa! {{{1

Gronk takes first watch. L1SR vs. INT: 13, fail

• Was there anything there to perceive? -2, no (lucky for him)
• Soldier 1 takes 2nd watch: -2, nothing
• Soldier 2 takes 3rd watch: -2, nothing

Day 2 {{{2

• Does anything interesting happen during the morning? -2, no
• In the afternoon? 4, very interesting
• Is it a patrol of bandits? 5, yes, and... ...they surprise the group!
• How strong are they? 2, 70%

Bandit Patrol: MR 40 {{{

Baddies: 41, 1 spite Goodies: 60, 3 spite

Baddies: 19, 0 spite Goodies: 63 }}} }}}2 }}}1 2024-05-30: To the Villa! Still! {{{1

Is there anything on the bandits' bodies? Yes Is it information?