The Altdorf Chronicles - Chapter One: A New Beginning

[Gold Bearer]

I've had a think about it and tidied up the events rules. Also the treasure deck will no longer get progressively worse, that doesn't make sense. Instead all cards will be returned to the deck. Wandering monsters have been changed as well. Now you'll never get automatically attacked, even if you draw one from the treasure deck. I think the black shield roll is a really nice addition but it might be a bit much as it's written. Thoughts?

Events
At the start of each of my turns I'll roll a combat dice.
Skull = Nothing.
White Shield = Random Event.
Black Shield = Activates the nearest room to a random adventurer if any adventurer is in sight of a door to a room with monsters.

Random Events
1 = Monster Patrol.
2 = Wandering Monster.
3 = Hidden Trap.
4 = Evil Wizard card.
5 = A random hero draws a treasure card.
6 = Random Treasure: Skull = D6x10gp, White Shield = Random potion, Black Shield = Random scroll.

Monster Patrols
Monsters are placed on a square that's in sight of an adventurer but directly adjacent to square that isn't and that leads to an unexplored area. If there's more than one monster then place the others on any square directly adjacent to the previous one and that's in sight of an adventure, and if there's more than two then keep doing the same thing. Monster Patrols can take their turn as soon as they're triggered.

Wandering Monsters
The same rules as Monster Patrols except that they can't do anything on the turn that they're triggered.

Hidden Traps
1 = Spear Trap, 2 = Shallow Hole, 3 = Poisoned Dart, 4 = Gas Trap, 5 = Swinging Blade, 6 = Fireburst.

The shallow hole is a pit trap that doesn't obscure movement, so it automatically causes 1BP damage but doesn't have any lasting effect. Poison damage can only be healed by something that specifically states that it can. The swinging blade effects the target square plus two more in a straight line in a random available direction. The fireburst trap works the same as in WoM except that it's instant and in corridors it affects the target square and those adjacent to it (including diagonally).

Poisoned Dart
Skull = Lose 1BP, White Shield = Unaffected, Black Shield = Lose 1MP.

Gas Trap
The GM rolls a combat dice and on a skull it causes poison damage, on a white shield it causes standard damage and on a black shield it causes poison damage and forces them to miss a turn, whether they take damage or not. Every character in the same room or corridor section(s) rolls a combat dice. On a skull they lose 1BP and on a black shield they lose 1MP. A section of corridor is up to and including junctions. Undead are immune to gas.

[Kitch1982]

Hmm....

I'm not so sure, this still might be to much to deal with! I'm happy to try it but maybe random events should just be on black shields. However I am happy to try this way first.

[Gold Bearer]

Oh! Equal to or under the number of heroes on two dice! The less heroes there are the less chance there should be of something happening and it act as an auto-balance.

I'll rewrite it tomorrow.

Edit:
No, equal to or under the number of adventurers on two dice. That will make you think twice about hiring followers. I've seen people say they think the men-at-arms are overpriced but I think they're underpriced so it should be okay.

The chances of rolling equal to or under four are one in six so the same as rolling a black shield.

[Gold Bearer]

Events
At the start of each of my turns I'll roll two standard dice.
Above the number of adventurers = Nothing.
Equal to the number of adventurers = Activates the nearest room to a random adventurer if any adventurer is in sight of a door to a room with monsters.
Under the number of adventurers = Random Event.

For monsters, skull = 2, white shield = 1, black shield = 3, to make up for them only coming on average once in every thirty-six turns if there's a full party and even often less if there isn't. That's not including the room activations though.

I think we're there.

[Anderas]

Yes, that one i'd like to try.
One last addition - could you make the next adventure somewhat shorter?

[Gold Bearer]

The next quest is done and it is shorter. It was made a while ago. I just need to write the introduction. The length of this quest is an exception, not the rule. PBP makes it seem longer, especially when there's a player keeps visiting without bothering to post. You also got held up in the sewers. This quest really should have been wrapped up before I went away. It might have been better as a later quest but then you might have men-at-arms and you'd be fighting men-at-arms so I made it the second quest. I plan to have the occasional longer quest but probably not this long. I don't want it to feel like it's dragging.

[Gold Bearer]

Events
The GM rolls two standard dice at the start of each of their turns. The number of Heroes plus a quarter of the number of Followers rounding up is the event number. So you add one for every fifth follower, 1, 5, 9, etc.
Above the event number = Nothing.
Equal to the event number = Activates the nearest room to a random Adventurer who's in sight of a door to a room with Monsters.
Under the event number = Random Event.

Random Events
1 = Monster Patrol.
2 = Wandering Monster.
3 = Hidden Trap.
4 = Rare Event.
5 = A random Hero draws a treasure card.
6 = Random Treasure: Skull = D6x10gp, White Shield = Random potion, Black Shield = Random scroll.

Monster Patrols
Roll a combat dice. Skull = One Monster, White Shield = Two, Black Shield = Three. Monsters are placed on a square that's in sight of an Adventurer but directly adjacent to square that isn't and that leads to an unexplored area. If there's more than one Monster then place the others on any square directly adjacent to the previous one and that's in sight of an Adventurer, and if there's three do the same again. Monster Patrols can take their turn as soon as they're triggered.

Wandering Monsters
Roll a combat dice. Skull = One Monster, White Shield = Two, Black Shield = Three. The same rules as Monster Patrols except that they can't do anything on the turn that they're triggered.

Hidden Traps
1 = Spear Trap, 2 = Shallow Hole, 3 = Poisoned Dart, 4 = Swinging Blade, 5 = Fireburst, 6 = Gas Trap.

The shallow hole is a pit trap that doesn't obscure movement, so it automatically causes 1BP damage but doesn't have any lasting effect. Poison damage can only be healed by something that specifically states that it can. The swinging blade works the same as in AtOH and affects the target square plus two more in a straight line in a random available direction. The fireburst trap works the same as in WoM except that it's instant and in corridors it affects the target square and those adjacent to it (including diagonally).

Poisoned Dart
Skull = Lose 1BP, White Shield = Unaffected, Black Shield = Lose 1MP.

Gas Trap
Every character in the same room or corridor section(s) misses a turn and rolls a combat dice. On a skull they lose 1BP and on a black shield they lose 1BP poison damage. A section of corridor is up to and including junctions. Undead are immune to gas.

Rare Events
6 = Monster Restoration: Restores Monsters.
7 = Alarm: All Monsters become active.
8 = Ambush: Place one Monster on every available square using the Monster Patrol rules.
9 = Major Enemy Aura: All Monsters are immune to damage until the beginning of the GM's next turn.
10 = Monster Rejuvenation: All Monsters regain one lost BP and MP.
11 = Lure Of Chaos: A random Follower switches allegiance and is now treated as a Monster.
12 = Creatures: The room or corridor of a random Adventurer is attacked by a Creature Swarm.
13 = Sneak Attack: A random Adventure is attacked using the vanilla Wandering Monster rules.
14 = Trapped: Place one Monster on every available square using the new Wandering Monster rules.
15 = Fool's Gold: A random Hero realises that D6x10 of their gold is fake.
16 = Equipment Damage: A random Hero damages a random piece of equipment or potion.
17 = Leader: The next Monster to be revealed (random if there's more than one) with 3BP or less can attack twice each round.
18 = Sealed In: All doors on the board close and can't be opened again until the beginning of the GM's next turn.
19 = Enemy Psychic Aura: Hinders the Adventurers.
20 = Minor Enemy Aura: All Monsters defend on white shields instead of black shields until the beginning of the GM's next turn.
21 = Dampening: No characters are able to cast until the beginning of the GM's next turn and all onging spell effects are ended.
22 = Minor Protective Aura: All Adventurers defend on black shields as well as white shields until the beginning of the GM's next turn.
23 = Mentor's Psychic Aura: Hinders the Monsters.
24 = Unbound: The magic binding the walking dead is broken and all active Undead with 0MP crumble to dust.
25 = Animosity An amusing fight breaks out amounst the Monsters.
26 = Map: The contents (excluding Monsters) of a random room (including explored ones but not empty ones) is laid out.
27 = Precious Gem: A random Hero spots a shiny... 1 = Amber 50gp, 2 = Pearl 100, 3 = Emerald 150, 4 = Ruby 200, 5 = Sapphire 250, 6 = Diamond 300.
28 = Equipment: Shuffle the equipment cards and deal one to a random Hero.
29 = Artifact: Skull = Magical Throwing Dagger, White Shield = Lucky Charm (gives one fate point for a reroll), Black Shield = Elixir Of Life.
30 = Magic Items: A random Hero finds one random potion and one random scroll.
31 = New Follower: You make a new friend.
32 = Adventurer Rejuvenation: All Adventurers regain one lost BP and MP.
33 = Major Protective Aura: All Adventurers are immune to damage until the beginning of the GM's next turn.
34 = Master Scroll: Can be used to cast a spell without discarding it.
35 = Master Potion: An all in one potion (every potion effect, including the two poisons).
36 = Adventurer Restoration: Restores Adventurers.

Restoration
Skull = Minor Restoration: All wounded Monsters/Adventurers are restored to full BPs, White Shield = Major Restoration: All dead Monsters/Adventurers are resurrected and placed anywhere on the board with full BPs, Black Shield = Total Restoration: All wounded Monsters/Adventurers are restored to full BPs and all dead Monsters/Adventurers are resurrected and placed anywhere on the board.

Creatures
1 = Swarm Of Flies, 2 = D6 Rats, 3 = D6 Bats, 4 = D6 Spiders, 5 = D6 Snakes, 6 = One of each.

Equipment Damage
Damaged equipment can be repaired by a blacksmith for half it's full value. Potions are destroyed.

Psychic Aura
Skull = Every target rolls a combat dice and loses 1BP on a skull and one MP on a black shield, White Shield = Every target has to roll under their current MP on a standard dice or miss their next turn, Black Shield = Both effects.

Animosity
If two different races of Monster (not Undead) are active then they have to attack (or move towards them if they can't reach) the other race if there's a member of that race closer to them than an adventure. If there's more than one Monster type then determine the two types randomly unless at least one orc and also at least one goblin are on active, in which case those two races are automatically the two that are affected.

Map
Skull = Excludes traps and secret doors, White Shield = Includes secret doors but not traps, Black Shield = Includes traps and secret doors.

New Follower
Roll a combat dice. Skull = Mercenary Follower: A random Follower is encountered after his previous employers have been slain and becomes the Follower of a random Hero. White Shield = Hero Follower: You encounter a random Hero with three remaining BPs who becomes the Follower of a random Hero after his previous party have been slain. Black Shield = Monster Follower: A random active (or from the next group encountered if none are active) Monster (not Undead) with 3BP or less decides they're on the wrong side and becomes the Follower of a random Hero.

[Anderas]

I changed my mind. I don't participate.

Have fun.

[Gold Bearer]

Okay, so Sotiris and Kitch, are you two happy with this? I've just updated the rare events to include Animosity (my favourite ) and Unbound and merged the three follower events. Just to clarify that the rare events really are rare. The fact that there's a lot of them doesn't make the list as a whole any more likely to come into play, it just adds variety. It's also simpler than using the evil wizard cards (that's why I never listed them), some of which would come up too often anyway, like mimic.

Edit:
And because of the way multiple dice work the chances of anything near either end of the table happening are remote. The first two are the real killers and one of those will come up on average once in every 653,184 rounds with a full party of heroes.

[Sotiris]

I'm not interested to continue. Thank you for the invitation.