Back to Ceawla and an Encounter

Playing via Skype is still not as fun as face to face, yet we persevere. The last Fantasy Trip session, as the adventurers were heading back to the tent city with their new found riches, were accosted by three of the craka beasts, rising up through the sands to surround our poor Runt Gubbler! There was a bit of warning from the kunio, with a bit of chirping like ground hogs. The kunio are native desert animals from the Desert Dwellers Kickstarter Zine from a year ago...

His companions quickly moved to help him, depsite the enormity of the attacking beasts. Of course, two were still injured, though somewhat healed, but there was a third one as apparently they brought friends. The Runt, though surrounded, immediately cast a flight spell on himself. As he was engaged, he managed to shift 1 hex upwards, leaving his feet dangling well within reach of the deadly craka beasts! Crut, Agaric, Nova and Jenrith surrounded the beasts and started to attack as well. The first round proved deadly to one of the beasts, struck dead with two attackers. Agaric managed to hit but the hard, leather like skin deflected his blow. The craka all missed the rapidly rising Runt, focusing their attacks on the magic user.

Next round, the 2nd beast was slain as Runt went higher and cast a 2d lightening blast on the monster below. The 2nd craks was killed, and with a keening wail, the final beast started to turn insubstantial and sink into the sands. Crut managed a critical hit, and killed the beast before it could get away. Unfortunately, the beast turned tangible on death, and his arm was encased in the dead craka beast. Unable to pull it out, Agaric helps to cut him free, yet managed to slice Crut's arm in the process doing more damage to Crut than he levied against the beast.

Nova bandaged Crut up (a master physicker can heal 3 points of damage after a battle). Cutting up the beasts, they managed to get 13 steak filets out of the skinny beasts, as well as some interesting organs and fluids Nova took to see if there were medicinal properties.

Getting back to Ceawla, they give the horse man a few gold, indicating that was half of what they found. Apparently, despite being a horse trader, he was surprised to get anything at all, so seemed satisfied.

Trading the steaks, which go for 40 silvers each at the Sarap Evi, they managed to barter for a couple of weeks to rest up. And that's where we stopped that session.

They all got 60 experience points for the session, and I am thinking I may give Crut and Runt some extra as they played well within character. Agaric's player is a bit more hesitant to get into battle despite being a werewolf as his last character died in session. Perhaps he is a cowardly werewolf, as he is much more suited for scholastic adventures. So with that in mind, he may also get some extra experience points.

The game map we used for that session is below, with about to scale of the craka (nee makdu I tink from one of the people I donate to on Patreon). Trying to play around with tracking initiative and adjDX better - found a white board and may bring that when we finally get back to face to face!

From the Desert Dwellers zine:

Revered  as  sacred,  Kunio  are  trusting  and friendly  animals.  Though  they  do  not  travel  in  packs, Kunio are very social and will follow travelers across the desert, warning them of danger with their chirping barks. Kunio drop "offerings" of large insects or small animals  near  travelers  in  hopes  of  reciprocation. Recieving an offering is considered good luck by many. Kunio  will  help  themselves  to  travelers'  rations.    If threatened  or  not  welcomed  warmly,  they  will  steal something important and flyaway.

On a non-game related note, it has been a crazy few weeks, and not being able to get out of the house much has had its effects on me. I tend to work more hours working from home, and as my work from home is on the same computer I do all this on, sometimes I just want to get away. So this blog is not as updated as much as it could be.

I've also greatly reduced my Kickstarter habit: having a significant pay cut, and soon putting my son on my insurance, has taken away most of my disposable income. Not to worry - I am still in better shape than a lot of others and I am not complaining. I just tend to be financially pretty conservative personally (getting laid off over a decade ago taught me that money may not always be coming in, so plan accordingly!)

And - Happy Memorial Day! Fortunately we got emailed, else I would have probably worked Monday and wondered why no one was answering email or messaging.