Tenkar's Tavern: We Went Down in a Blaze of Glory in the First Session (self inflicted), and it Was Awesome!

Sunday, March 24, 2019

We Went Down in a Blaze of Glory in the First Session (self inflicted), and it Was Awesome!

First time as a player in over a year and a half, and we had a TPK 90 minutes into it.

Let me back up for a sec. James Spahn is out DM for a Swords and Wizardry Complete campaign that kicked off in Bard's Gate. The other players are Skeeter Green, Jim Wampler and Rocky & Ian from Silver Bulette Publishing. The presence of the Frog God was strong.

In any case, we were exploring Matt Finch's Tomb of the Iron God and we came across a black ooze. Closed the door and decided to come back later. Found embalming fluid and decided to return.

We had a good plan. We had devastating results.

We doused the ooze in elbalming fluid. It retreated. Woot. We lit the embalming fluid. Actually, embalming fluid isn't flammable, the gases it gives off IS, however.

Boom!

And you thought first level characters couldn't cast a fireball.

Black ooze - dead.

Party - Dead.

We have two weeks before the next session. Time to reroll.

This was the best TPK ever! I love the OSR :)

That is an affiliate link above - affiliate links keep the lights on and the taps flowing at The Tavern.

5 comments:

Jayson "Rocky" GardnerMarch 24, 2019 at 11:16 PM
It was a blast! Pun intended.
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Gothridge ManorMarch 24, 2019 at 11:40 PM
You get to start off tomorrow facing down a worg with 15 wolves. Good luck.
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Ryan—Aqualith MediaMarch 24, 2019 at 11:56 PM
Fantastic story!
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James RichardsMarch 25, 2019 at 12:08 AM
Sounds awesome.
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James M. SpahnMarch 25, 2019 at 7:49 AM
That's one of those strange facts you'll remember for the rest of your life.
You: "Embalming fluid isn't really flammable, but the fumes are explosive."
Friend: "How do you know that?"
You: "It's a long story..."
ReplyDelete
Replies

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Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

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Sunday, March 24, 2019

We Went Down in a Blaze of Glory in the First Session (self inflicted), and it Was Awesome!

5 comments:

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