Beholders with Offices

I had planned on doing it. Planned on diving into the solo-dungeon and finding out where Murk goes from here. Rather than this being a plea to forgive me for not continuing the saga, I think my readers (those that still click and fall under these words' spell) would appreciate a rant that we can all relate to...

The Futility of Meetings- how absolutely nothing constructive. except spending time, can be done at a meeting. There is no reason to have a meeting, not with chat rooms and skype and email. Tell me all this crap in an email, for I read all of my junk mail.

Let me explain. I had a wondrous thing planned. I had my moleskin with character and monster stats, I had a graph paper clipboard with a map of our dungeon scrawled on it. My iphone was plugged into rpgsolo.com, I was ready. My only weapon was a staff of awakening +3 armed with coffee.

Then they started talking...

They started talking of the end of the year, of grades, of being sure to do this and that. They talked of graduation and where we had to be and what we had to do. It was the mindless stuff that turns the brain into mush and zaps not only the will to work, even to teach, but the will to live. I winded up asking only one question of Murk in my journals, Is Murk wounded? I had plans of asking if this mage he encountered is a NPC or a PC (a mage would do well in this adventure, an occupational necessity). Oh such great plans, but they all mired, they all went to mush as the administrators, those beholders with offices, began to talk. I found myself in an imaginative void.

And just when things were going utterly bad, they went worse utterly worse- we were condemned to meet individually in departments. Do you know what that is like? Half a dozen people talking about what they hope to do, what they plan to do, but never really do.  Yes, my bold adventure was reduced to a list of things I need to get for the newborn!

Conclusion? That is how our creativity is killed by this damned 9 to 5 society, one that I will be glad to exit after 22 days of teaching!

Rogue of Changes V: Solo App Tryout

For the next installment of Rogue of Changes, I decided to both play and review a curious google doc add- on called Solo Roleplay Tools by James Regan which turns the Mythic Solo Engine into a sidebar with various choices representing everything from probability questions to scene setup and the best one (since I use Fudge stats for opposed rolls) Opposed Question which allows you to plug in the appropriate scale for combat. 

I tried it out with good ol' Murk and it was pretty seamless. The only real thing I miss is the Yes, and or No, but that rpgsolo.com rolls up. Also in the Random Generators tab I would fill it up with everything from dungeon layout to random wandering monster or something of the sort. 

Other than that, it really pushes solo-ing toward writing, which is one of my goals in this blog. I plan on using this when I write, when I want to produce a story. So James Regan, great job. 

Now on to part V of our dungeon crawl:

Rogue of Changes V:
Murkstav is at the entrance to the tomb, a great maw of a cave stands to the north. He is poisoned, he cannot go back, he must go forward.

Into the Dungeon : (7) Scene Unaltered*

Nothing has changed for our hero, he is well rested but is still rather poisoned. He must find a cure.

He moves into the entrance, it looks like the entrance to a cave, giant thirty feet by twenty at the apex. The entrance is dark and Murkstav’s hand begins to tremble causing him to switch his sword to the other hand.

“Does he encounter anything as he moves in?” (Unlikely vs 5: 35%) Roll 16: Yes

What does he encounter? Efficiently Glorious .

Murkstav walks into the cave, something shines in the dim dim light. There is a pedestal just ahead of heam, gleaming a dull green. The dungeoneer perceives that it is jade, but found it odd that it was intact. He looks groggily at the floor, looking for skeletons or things that would tell him this whole set-up is a trap.

“Is there anything on the floor? ?” (Somewhat Likely vs 5: 65%) Roll 81: No

Looking to the floor our hero finds nothing of note, this only makes him more suspicious. He looks back to where he came from, the morning star lights looking very inviting right now.

No doubt about it, there is something on this pedestal something that is too glorious, too timely to be believed. It looks to be a potion of healing, a salve in a red bag tied by a brown string. The mercenary has seen it a dozen times in the stores about Rivermoon, but here it is something entirely different, something to be feared.

“Is the potion viable?” (Unlikely vs 5: 35%) Roll 19: Yes

“And is it booby trapped?” (Very Likely vs 5: 85%) Roll 83: Yes

“How likely is it for Murk to perceive the trap?” (Likely vs 5: 75%) Roll 62: Yes

Nothing in the dungeon, in the underground can be too good, there was something, a gleam that Murkstav noticed in that cavern. His skills, his instincts called for hesitation there.

What does the trap consist of? Peacefully Festive

Pardon? Gratify Dreams

Looking like a healing potion, the elixir would induce dreaming, slumber, a sleep potion. As if something wanted to make intruders sleep.

This will make the chaos factor go up in turn

What lurks herein that placed the bait? Cooly Pale

It was then that Murkstav realized that the chamber had become colder. Pulling his cloak closer to his shoulders he ignored the potion on the pedestal and kept moving into the hallway.

Let us see how this works in creating a dungeon, what is the next section? Dangerously Historical

Here I had to go to rpgsolo.com to get the layout of the dungeon, other than that I stayed with the google add-on.

RoC V: From the Mythic trial, using this to make a dungeon...according to the other thing this is dangerously historical, means nothing to me at this time:

Door on right side corridor continues.

5 = 5[d6]

(No encounter)  

At the end of what seemed like a hallway that ran 80 feet ahead are two large historically ornate doors. The one on the right is open and it is likely that there is something on the other side. Yeah its a sure thing that there is something behind that door, grabbing the door.

“Is there something behind that left door?” (Sure Thing vs 5: 90%) Roll 1: Exceptional Yes

There is something cold behind that door, a giant ice golem that feeds on unsuspecting visitors, was that the reason why the other bandits had been hesitating? The door is grabbed by the immense hand and it swings open with a lurch.

This is where the app is the strongest, where the player can input the ranking of each combatant or opposing object: 

“Murk versus ice golem. ?” (My school  vs Ice Golem : 10%) Roll 73: No

“Golem Round 2?” (High vs Superhuman: 10%) Roll 13: No

“3?” (High vs Superhuman: 10%) Roll 42: No

“Last chance?” (High vs Superhuman: 10%) Roll 12: No

“one more for the road?” (High vs Superhuman: 10%) Roll 36: No

There is no way that he is going to go blow to blow with this guy, there has to be another way that he gets out of this situation, He is the hero and there has to bed something. There is an odd luck, no doubt a chaos factor, no doubt somthing else that will change the situation.

So let us up the chaos factor to 9

Considering there is nothing he can do we move onto another question.

“Is there an X Factor that Murk takes advantage of which allows him to defeat/ overcome this enemy?” (Very Likely vs 5: 85%) Roll 33: Yes

Random Event Occurs: NPC action: Disrupt The intellectual

“Away yonder heathen!” the voice boomed from behind the monster, Murk trying desperately to gain a footing, thinking he could best the giant in combat. “Take that for your smite!” it again screamed in a loud deep voice, crashing the monster’s shouders with what seemed like a fireball.

Rogue of Changes IV

I had time for perhaps one scene here early in the morning while I wait for school to start. This time has become my dungeon time, away from the hype that is the regular life

Thus I would say that Murkstav is a good fighter right now, up against a fair willow wisp. I will assume that he has gone through all the mental tribulations of a dungeon campaign and it is going to be a serious fight so we will move him up to a fair fighter after going through two other dungeoneers. What are the results of the fight with the willow wisp?

(Somewhat Likely | 5_[d10]) Yes, but...

The perfect answer, a yes but.. there is no doubt that he is further damaged...

(1 = 6_[d20]+-5) Negligible: Nick/Scratch/Bruise.

I felt like he was protected or on his toes so the damage is but a scratch negligible. But he does drop with exhaustion so it is sure thing that he stops to rest perhaps even camp...

(Sure Thing | 10_[d10]) Yes, and...

Not only does he make a rudimentary camp but he passes out, right at the entrance. Next up wandering checks- for he has fallen asleep at the entrance to a dark and sinister place.

For his slumber, bare minimums on the floor of the entrance to whatever waits beneath there in the under dark. We will have two checks. And I say it is unlikely for anything to be there since there were already two bandits about to enter the tomb, this unlikely...two checks...

(Unlikely | 2_[d10]) No.

(Unlikely | 1_[d10]) No, and...

on the contrary

Murk slept, a deep slumber. Not only were there no wandering monsters but Murkstav completely rested allowing for a recovery of fighting fatigue if not his entire frame. Is the poison still lurking in his system?

(Very Likely | 8_[d10]) Yes.

Yes, thus is it likely that he has an antidote within his pack.

(Unlikely | 3_[d10]) No.

No, Murk coughs and finds himself dizzy at the foot of the entrance...

Too old for this Sh**?

 These days every time I boot up a new game, I feel like Murtaugh in the ol’ Lethal Weapon movies. I hear him whisper his catch phrase weeks away from his retirement. “I’m getting too old for this shit.."

Its not that I consider the new generation of games to be childish, on the contrary. I find them more challenging than my ACTUAL LIFE. I just know that when the company logos are all done its going to be either a thick-ass plot line to go through; or a learning curve not seen since my days at graduate school.

Whatever happened to the simplicity? Has our society gotten so complex that we just can’t turn on a game and start akilling? No, you have to part of a global conspiracy, or indoctrinated into a story, or educated in the ways of a secret cult. Gone are the days of hit the reset and you are blasting within moments. Given those were in the days of dot versus dot. But still I don’t have time for all the meringue, I want CAKE!

Further, once the game is happening and I’m psyched. I’m hit with so many ERRANDS. Get this, bring me that, take this for this purpose. I think that is the reason why I so adore ‘open world’ games, the ones where you just float in a reality without any agendas. 

Sure, when I was younger the prizes are more than worth it. Satisfying. But now, on the darker side of a mid-life crisis, they just don’t seem to matter. If I want that sniper rifle, if I want that thing, damn it I just hit the cheat code without hesitation. 

It reminds me of the constant battle that I had years ago with Chuk Barber; my mentor of video (carnage) games. He was the one that introduced me to Quake, Halo, Rune, and the entire FPS genre. Chuk was twenty years my senior and the minute he got a game he immediately searched for the cheat codes.

“But Chuk,” I protested. “What about the challenge, the game wasn’t made for you to cheat, complete it first man!"

“Bro,” he shot back. “I have a stressful job, and Im way too old to do things over and over to a checkpoint, I need to get to some blood and gore now!” 

TILDE ACTIVATED, CARNAGE ACHIEVED!

I no longer bicker or whine about the loss of plot line or gameplay. We no longer live at a time like Zork where we had one game and it had to last us for centuries. Gone are the days of milk a game for all its worth. I am shamed to say I have over 100 games on my Steam account and I've only burned through 10 of them lately. 

There is a mid-life impatience that i feel. I feel nothing but rebuke (like Burl Ives did when he said "Mendacity" in cat on a hit roof) when I find myself carrying rabbit food or a part for a machine or the ingredient for a potion to get the experience or a better weapon. Sorry, I’m just too old for that shit!

I think that today's games are made to replace rather than supplement our reality. Reality replacement is exactly what young players want. But older players seem to only have time/energy/memory or patience for a supplementary reality. 

After all, its all we got its all we can. 

So load up another game Riggs. I'm just going to sit here and wait until we get mobbed. Then I'll crack my neck and start blasting with this Smith & Wesson. Until then let me just close my eyes and...

What? No I dont want to save those people for a better gun. Just hit control tilde and type KILLALL! 

There we go...

Dungeonance

Looking over these blogs, these posts, my account on steam- it seems we are going through a dungeonance, a renaissance, a rebirth of the good ol’ dungeon crawl. I wonder many times if it is because the dungeon masters and players of the 80’s and 90’s are now having children and they want to relive those thrilling crawls of yesteryear. Even pixels, PIXELS, have been thrown back to their 80’s equivalents. This is astonishing in a world that has such reality games as Skyrim or Metro and Borderlands. 

Why are we going back to those underground memories of old? What lies there? Memory?

My dungeon crawls usually happened on Saturday mornings, starting at 9 am and ending about twelve hours later. Or in the school cafeteria, or the back of Lab class (the dissected frog was our dragon). Even to this day graph paper is a comfort, a dungeon map is a way of organizing my universe- am I am OSR-OCD? 

I am happy for this. Our children are descending into our dungeons, fighting our monsters, reliving our legends into a new age. Our monster manuals are no longer dusty, babies are teething on oversized D20’s and Nethack has a whole new generation of divers and warriors to plunder. 

It is a great thing to hear about these blogs, forums and posts about the next generation growing bright eyed and bushy tailed in the stank, soot and bile of an old-fashioned dungeon crawl. Like fathers like sons I guess, and no character sheet shall ever go dusty. 

Write Up- Rogue of Changes

The floor rushed up, but pain meant life. Murk landed on his feet but a metallic taste hit is palate with equal force. He knew he was poisoned. Sweating, he watched the hall moving off to the north. Illuminated a sharp orange, morning stars hung at ten paces apart, shedding the light on the cobblestone walls. The shadows stretched outward, moving unlike the fire. Murkstav quickly took a hold of his sword, eyeing the two bandits at the end of the hall; where the passage opened to a entrance at the top of wide steps. Once again the taste of metal, seemingly green even, flooded his palate. 

“We always have damned company, Silio” the one on the left in dark robes mentioned turning as Murkstav moved north to confront them. 

“Oh and this one seems quite intent,” the other said, dressed in leather and cape. 

Murkstav did not respond. Never respond to an enemy, he thought simply meeting the sword of the caped one, taking the deep breath away from him, but giving him just enough time to pull out his obsidian dagger. 

But something was wrong, really wrong, the caped one began to infer, wave, evoke and use the prefixes of a conjuring. Blast, a conjurer, by the time one enemy was dead, there came another two. The dungeoneer knew he had to make this fast. That metallic taste drove him, and things were beginning to get fuzzy.

The conjuring continued. Murkstav felt and heard a wind at the corner of his vision. Something was definitely coming. The bandit sliced downward, Murkstav blocked and slashed his wrist with the obsidian. The man reeled, an amateur, and the dungeoneer shoved his sword in a space in the leather armor. His torso slid off the blade as Murk kicked. 

Turning, the whisp slashed at him. Murk slid and pushed his way to the conjuror, knowing well it was the source of the summoning. Not expecting the attack, the summoner fell forward. Murk kicked with his heels and struck upward with the hilt of his sword and cut the man’s thigh. Going down, Murk impaled his dagger in his neck. Exhaling the metal taste, he knew he had to do something about that taste. 

“At least this one’s dead so…” he whispered to himself. 

Yet the whisp still churned in the air, still mixed with the lights and screeched for his blood. 

Who indeed was conjuring who?

Session Three: Rogue of Changes

I was watching 'The Man in the High Castle' on Amazon Prime, a pity it was but one episode. Looking for more information, I was both comforted and stunned that Philip K. Dick used to the oracle to help him write his novel. In some cases he let the oracle decide his  novel. The author even commented that he did not like the direction the oracle took the story.

Thanks to all this, I discovered an old friend.

Since the age of 15 (going on three decades) I have been an avid reader of the Yi Jing oracle. The book is my deserted island book. That being the only book I would take to a deserted island. I have at least a dozen translation of The Book of Changes, and fantasize about writing my own (perhaps another blog?) With this in mind, I thought I would follow in Dick's footsteps and hand over my Scrawl to one of my oldest friends- the Zhouyi- the Book of Changes.

For those not into this oracle, or any oracles, I will not bore with the changing lines or anything of the sort. I will simply catalog the basics and how they appear on rpgsolo.com. That online oracle did have a few things to say and I add a bit of commentary:

Asking about Murk's adventure. Hexagram 6 Conflicts, disputes the courts, there is no doubt that Murkstav will be encountering many many swords on his journey through this dungeoness. Nor will this change. What will happen next, I draw 48-46, he descends into the well for drink, the water is clean the way is clear and he will ascend because of this. What does he seek? He seeks to retreat, 33, 3 to chaos the dreaded 12. He retreats his wound is poisoned and there are bandits waiting at the entrance... Inferior men, common thieves. How does Murk get out of it? 49.6 to 13. A Shedding revolution, sheds his skin like a leopard on the inside, there is a deep change on the inside. Murkstav realizes full well that he is no better than the bandits before him. How many bandits does he face? 2 = 2_[d2]

Are there two bandits? Yes, and...

>Will-o-wisp.

Murk is poisoned and he fighting at a good only, he is up against two guys and that is a great in my book, does he make it? Yes.

Yes he makes it out of it, solidly, there is something else in the room. A whil-o-wisp, fast little sucker. Note: How does Murk change inside,

Create.

Conclusions:

• This will be a crawl of constant obstacles. To take from the Tarot "Full of Swords".
• Murkstav retreats into the bowels, into the well of the crypt.
• He is poisoned, rather severely.
• He faces two bandits and a will'o'wisp.
• In order to defeat these he must change, have a creative revolution from within.
• Is he just a bandit?

I plan to write up this little instance very soon but I wanted to illustrate how perhaps K. Dick had written 'The Man in the Castle'.

Review: Dungeonism, Rogue-lite app

Mod- Dungeon is quite appealing

One thing I have learned from using Amazon and Apple, is that one can rely on the reviews. If someone is going to take the time to write something, anything, about something, in this day and age- it should be important.

For that reason I am pausing from the usual hack and slash of this blog, to review a great app- Dungeonism. This game is a modern roguel-like, though some would say it is a rogue-lite as it is rather forgiving. In the game you play an adventurer traversing a strange and distant land filled with monsters of all sorts. Truly the classics are represented here: bats, ogres, golems, spirits, ghosts- the archetypal dungeon types. Rivers and crevasses flow throughout the screen, mazes and puzzles challenge the dungeoneer. The music is great, the sound is appropriate and tends to release that rush of dopamine. The character can buy equipment, collect treasure and choose to increase a variety of skills with experience points.

By far the best thing about Dungeonism, is the graphics- not your usual fantasy pixel but a very stream-lined neon-like world. Once the player stops missing those video games of the 80's, they can sit back and really enjoy the experience of the game.


The only thing missing from Dungeonism is perhaps harder enemies or levels; and no doubt the game needs more levels, though there a hundred screens to adventure through.

For that last and only last reason, I give the game 4.5 stars. If it expands and becomes just a bit harder it would join that elite group- the only game I would have on my phone. The other being Dungeon Raid.

Anyone notice a pattern?

Rogue in the Crypt Session Two

Here are two questions that I may have answered with but one button of the rpgsolo.com:

1. Murk is hurt, perhaps critically, he will use his alchemy to cure or something of the sort. 
2. There is a corridor underneath, it is 10' wide and heads north, for now.

I am posting this to illustrate a point. What you are about to read was inspired by just one result of rpgsolo:

NPC Action.

Which turned into:

   The mercenary gripped his wounded handed, fortunately only slashed and bloody. His reflexes saving him, Murkstav cursed himself for being a novice fool. From below a strange luminous glow emerged, almost inviting, that did not seem like firelight at all but something conjured. The rogue did not enjoy conjured things, they never turned out right in the end. 

     Obsessing over his hand, or hypnotized by the glow below, the way it danced on the broken steel of the trap-blade, the sounds behind him did not register in his brain. There the sound of metal and stone moving. It was then that Murk realized he had overlooked the central crypt, the giant sarcophogus centered on it all. Why had he ignored it? Feeling the chills running up his spine, Murkstav turned. Turned to see a giant hand grip the lid of the stone copher (not even sure if that is a word). 

     The witch spoke of her son, her giant son, a thing unknown by men. Remembering the tales of woe, the tales circulated from tavern to tavern, Murkstav realized why Obar sounded so familiar. Years ago there was a creature stalking the swamps around Rivermoon, slain by men from the Black Spear tavern. The men, huddled years ago about mugs of ale and meal, spoke most of the things hands, the giant hands that gripped men and squeezed. The losses had been heavy until the beast was finally put down. 

     Surely those were the hands gripping those men that now gripped the lid, letting out a dull undead moan that Murkstav learned so often was never good news. 

     "Damn me for a fool," Murk hissed, looking at the entrance. "Always keep your exit and back guarded" he repeated to himself echoing C'ang's greatest sentiment, speaking it every time they walked into a tomb. Now there was one that the young mercenary would enjoy, gravely to fight beside. 

     It began to emerge, its head crowning over the lip of the tomb, giant and grey, with strands of slick- slimey hair sticking to a decomposing head and skull. Was that a gag, Murk felt in his throat? 

     Somehow, the strangely lit corridor below the broken trap seemed almost inviting. The smell coming from the tomb hit the man, and it only resolved his decision. Whatever that light was, it was better than the thing coming out of that crypt. With a deep breath, Murkstav dove into the hole made by the blade, hoping there was not another as a back-up. The last thing he saw, at the corner of his eye, was a massive shape moving to his right. 

Followed by: 

Is there another blade?

(Very Unlikely | 6_[d10]) Yes, but...

 

     Falling into the corridor Murkstav heard another catch release. He closed eyes, knowing that he would emerge into the land of shadows, the afterlife, without a head.

Which brings us to a point. If one word, one picture, brings a world of inspiration, what do we need dice and buttons for?

What we (need to) know so far

Here is what we know so far, these will be critical in the moments to come: 

1. Murk is hurt, perhaps critically, he will use his alchemy to cure or something of the sort. 
2. There is a corridor underneath, it is 10' wide and heads north, for now. 
3. No doubt the map points to greater things underneath, something out there, something good, something big, and hell who knows something evil.
4.  At this time I am not sure if he has his armor, maybe this is the mission where he finds it no? 
5. What or who constructed underneath the crypt?
6. Is Murkstav alone on this mission?

Actual Game Play of First Session of Rogue in the Crypt

SESSION I MOVING TO ROGUE-LIKE One Hero using RPGsolo.com

 
Murk runs to the gate and opens the lock, is there something within?
Room size? Using custom tiles.

Square 25 ft.

It is twenty five feet square is he alone?

(Unlikely | 2_[d10]) No.

Monster?

(Likely | 5_[d10]) No, but...

There is a trap?

(Likely | 4_[d10]) No. +Event: Dispute / Wounds

There is someone in there that is going for the treasure, NPC him!

Passive-aggressive female witch.

A female witch is in there with him, performing a ritual. Is she the ruler of the ghosts from the outside?

(Likely | 6_[d10]) Yes, but... +Event: Malice / Tactics

Oh she is in charge of the ghosts and it is a TACTIC to keep people away from the tomb of her...

Dumb village idiot.

Village idiot, her son! The hell with that she is a suburb witch which means that Murk is going to be working on good.

(Likely | 6_[d10]) Yes, but...

It is only likely that he defeats her. she is ugly and decrepid, her biggest skill is...

Climbing.

crawling up the damn walls in a fight. Murkstav slashes, he first tries a bow which comes out.

(50/50 | 6_[d10]) Yes, but...

Hits her but loses something, what?

Artisan tools.

breaks the bow, on her or something. finally gets into a dungeon mood a dungeon space and starts to hack at her. Good Thieving ability against a great tomb.

(Somewhat Likely | 2_[d10]) No.

Murkstav finds NO evidence of a larger purpose in the temple. But he has a map, does he see anything in the lore, thats a so so chance

(50/50 | 10_[d10]) Yes, and...

Not only does he see something odd in the map, a language now coming into focus, or an arrow there barely noticeable, floating in the paper, but he now sees a pattern there and Ill give him a plus to this dungeon only.

Using the cubes, I see it is a plate or a door in the floor with vines all about, this room had a lot of vines amigo. Is it trapped?

(Likely | 10_[d10]) Yes, and...

Yes and it is sprung and it is a chopping trap (using the cleaver in the cubes) It is a suburb mechansim and it is very likely that the good thief is going to get cut.

(Very Likely | 9_[d10]) Yes.

Like I said, not sure what the logic was I think it was a sure thing if he had absolutely no experience but since it did he made it down one level to great chance and that is very likely...He is not as good as he guess he thought. The temple here is different and things are moving much faster than he expected.

It cleaves or bites him, Id say its almost impossible that he gets something decapitated.

(Almost Impossible | 1_[d10]) No, and...

No, it cuts him, but not only does it not catch him but the mechanism, because of age or use or whathaveyou haults giving him a space. Is it poisoined?

(Very Unlikely | 1_[d10]) No, and...

No it is not poisoned and it hits a crit failure for the trap. Damn this is one shitty trap! Murk lucked out. Sprung, unpoisoned and slaps into brokenness. He will rest and heal here and keep moving on.

Rogue in the Crypt Summary of Session 1

     Murkstav, an amateur dungeoneer, hired mercenary raised under Rivermoon, breaks out on his own. Unlike most, he selfishly decides to go at it alone. But he soon finds out why people venture into the underealms in groups. 

     Finding a map as part of the booty from a wizard (they always say, whatever you find is yours my friend, but the staff or the tome, or the mirror is mine) Murk moves northward toward a forest burial site. Stealth is not the easiest thing among the undead. 

     Chased by ghosts appearing from about the shattered trees and out of the torn and desolate leaves upon the ground, Murkstav comes upon the temple or the crypt that he had been looking forward. Even with ghost swirling around him, the aggravated thoughts of the wizard ring in his mind. He fuddles with the lock, for he is nothing but a good thief, usually hired by others, so he is used to being a sword hand a defender. He fuddles with the lock and taps it, moving the tumblers until something snaps and the gate opens, perhaps opening too easily.

     Careful when things are two easy, a paternal voice says in his mind. 

     Locking the gate behind him Murkstav crept into a 25 foot crypt divided into four chambers with a large coffin or sarcophagus in the middle. Amateur, amateur, for when Murk turned he found a witch practicing her dark arts on the floor. He goes on to learn that it was the witch manipulating the dead in defending this temple, the temple of the village idiot. 

     A battle ensues that ruins Murkstav’s bow and forces him to slay the witch with his sword as she used her powers to creep about the walls of the crypt. 

     No one was more surprised than myself when nothing emerged from the crypt in question. 

     Immediately something registers as wrong in this chapter. Why would the village idiot be buried in such an elaborate tomb? There was obviously something more to this, a secret somehow. Using his skills Murkstav, noticed smudges in the frayed map. A map drawn upon another map. Where the information lead him just to this tomb there was something, more something underneath.

     Murkstav liked underneath, away from the topsiders. The mercenary always felt better under the civilized world.

     An arrow pointing north. Or was it down? Cartographers in the continent could never really decide on one method of symbols. An arrow pointing north on a panel.

     Relishing, Murkstav heads for the panel, easily pushing it and watching it turn.

     Then a click.

     The clicks are the worst parts of this job. Before he could remove his gloved hand, a rounded blade followed immediatly after the panel opening downward. The man caught a glympse of warm orange light before his hand was sliced. Then the blade stopped with a whir and a dying crash and clunk.

     Murstav reeled back, looking at the gash in his hand, wondering if there was an ancient poison spread upon the ancient mechanism.

     And since suspense is good for the soul, this is where the session ended!

Murkstav for Solo Play

 

The term Dungeoneer has always held a certain magic for me. In my stories there have always been professional dungeon crawlers. Professional extractors usually employed by some mage or sorcery, almost always another one of my characters- Orleon Templeton, to go into the under realms, the vast subterranean world underneath the continent, and extract the most unusual of things. Always with this precept- keep what you find.

Originally I wanted to take a band of adventurers into the dungeon. With the help of +John Yorio, I had thought to make the party as character, illustrated in his blog, Then a strong craving for rogue-likes, games like Nethack, DCSS and Tales of Maj'Eyal hit me hard. I realized that I did not need, a band of characters, I just needed one. Perhaps one that mistakenly goes into the dungeon alone- and may regret it later!

Just like in a rogue-like.

So here is the "Character Sheet" for my professional dungeoneer.

MURKSTAV

+2 Great Dungeon fighter-
raised in catacombs, knows the dangers. Swords
odd jobs to get things about Rivermoon. particularly closed quarter fighting

+1 Good Thief: Locks and moving in shadows.
orphan/street rat trope.
+1 Good Archer
For his type death from afar is always better.

0 Fair … Leave this to the adventure.
Perhaps Alchemy, craftmanship, Lore

If he tries things outside of this parameter it goes down to Poor which I tend to think is more than just simply 'slightly unlikely' perhaps unlucky?

Brief Bio: Murkstav raised himself in the murky underbelly catacombs and labyrinths that lie underneath the city of Rivermoon. His odd jobs, assignments and tasks took him from stealing to outright assassination. Feeling more at home underneath the ground than above it, Murk is just now beginning to strike out on his own as a 'professional extractor' in the under realms of the Prytanian continent.