Been a bit - Hi, y'all.

I got asked earlier this week if I'd run a simple game to test the new (to us) rules. Scenario and map came to mind. Both could do with a lot more polish but I need them tomorrow night - and I've not many free hours to do the polishing. Critique, but gently please.

Ring-a-ling.png

Scenario: A pack of goblins snuck into the castle during court, and in the resulting mayhem made off with jewels, gems, trinkets, priceless thingamajigs, and the Duke's Signet which bears a glowing ruby. Having taken an arrow to the knee (sorry couldn't resist) the duke is unable to pursue, but so desperately needs the ring he announced that anyone who returns it can keep whatever else is found - the gems, jewels, thingamajigs, and all.

What the players learn is that a demonologist has taken over what used to be the Gobsnout tribe's home. The temple is restored to its old role as a sacrificial center. And the ring is perfect for closing the ritual.

Ground floor, a small handful of ghouls. Some lie in ambush, some are in their lair. The party sees that most of the goblin tracks lead to the stairs on the left, but some tracks - and more important spilled gold coins - lead toward the mound at the center. (Mound is the drop point for bodies pushed off the altar.)

First floor, the abandoned home of the goblins. Nothing here now but rats. Rats. Rats. (not nice Mouses.)

Next floor, the goblins prefer not to become another cocooned meal in the spiders' larder. But the bridge is rickety and may give our party some problems if they're the large sort.

The temple's basement, and a well-locked room. What's left of the goblin tribe is sacrificial meat for the demon-summoner. Their leader bargains for rescue and escape. Backs to the wall they'll fight if the party forces it.

Upstairs, the sacrificial altar. The ring's grown to almost portal size, and the small cult is chanting and dancing their ritual. Did the players get there in time? If not the bad guys have a little infernal assistance. (Delay to fight, or search, or discuss, and I'll put another d6 in the Bad Juju bowl. I'll roll all those dice, and each 1 I roll gets me a point on the summoning chart. Everything from "not yet" through imps to, well, nothing too major - this is a fun little run to test the rules, not a party smasher.