AD&D1e and Scarlet Heroes Solo Game #2 - Looking for Help (and Failing)

 Read the play report HERE.

Once again, this is a solo game using the oracles from Scarlet Heroes with AD&D1e as the engine for gameplay.

When last we left Kamrek, he attempted to infiltrate the guards for the Donovani family. A power family that Railan, his patron, is a disinherited member of. Railan uncovered incest within his family and attempted to expose it but was kicked out before he could do anything. His evidence is hidden in the floorboards of his former room. Kamrek has taken a job in recovering this evidence for Railan. The attempt to infiltrate as someone looking for a guard job failed. Kamrek decided to enter the sewers to gain access to the mansion from below. He encountered a giant ant, nearly died, and fled back to the tavern a bit richer from some found treasure. After recovering for 4 days, we pick up his story. So about 5 days have passed at this point.

Looking for Help

Kamrek realizes he needs some help if he plans to tackle the sewers. He asks the tavern keeper if he knows of any soldiers in the area.

A d4 roll is made on the scarlet heroes' oracle. The answer is "no".

"Damn," Kamrek curses. "Do you know anyone who might know if any footman or mercenaries can be hired?" Kamrek asks.

Another d4 is asked of the oracle. A 3 is rolled. "Yes but...". The but is that there is a twist in the relationship. Rolling on the Scarlet Heroes relationship table, it is determined that it is his "superior". His "superior" is a "street thug" according to the oracle rolls.

"Is this man extorting you?"

I roll a d4 with the oracle. I roll a 1 which is "no".

"Ah..." Kamrek says, "that can only mean you are in league with him then. What is this man's name?"

I roll a d4. 1 to 2 it is a man, 3 to 4 it is a woman. I roll a 3.

"She is a woman actually. Her name is Una."

I roll a d20 on the racial table in Scarlet Heroes. I roll a 20.

"She is an elf too," he says.

"Interesting. Where can I talk to Una? If she is the one who knows where I can get mercs."

I roll for the location of something. I choose the table for things that are near. This is a 2d4 roll. I roll a 6. This indicates that this is in the next room.

"She is in the next room," he says. "She often 'rents' that room from me," the innkeeper says.

Kamrek elects to go talk with this "elf street thug." He goes over to the door and knocks. "Greetings, I was wondering if I could speak with Una?"

Roll 1d4 on the oracle. 3 which is "yes but..." is the result. I'm unsure what to ask, so I ask the oracle if the but is that Una is not in right now. I roll a 4 which is "yes".

"Sure, you could talk to Una, if Una was in that is! She's gone for the moment," a voice calls through the door.

"Well, I'm just looking for footmen, a mercenary or two, to help me with a task. Do you know of any such individuals? I need to bother Una if you know."

Roll 1d4, I roll a 4. This is a "yes".

The door opens and a gruff man answers and lets Kamrek in. Two people are within. The one who answered the door is a dwarf and the other one is a human.

I roll a reaction roll at this point. I roll a 2. This is bad. The dwarf closes the door behind me and immediately draws a dagger, as does the human. I roll for surprise for Kamrek and roll a 6. No surprise here. He thought maybe something would be off with these clowns.

Initiative is rolled. Kamrek rolls a 1, and the thugs roll a 3.

It's pretty clear what actions are being announced. The thieves are attacking Kamrek and Kamrek will attack back and defend himself with his axe.

Round 1. The dwarf is a level 1 dwarf thief. Kamrek has an AC of 5 which means the dwarf thief needs to roll a 16 according to the attack matrix. He is wielding a dagger against Kamrek's AC5 which produces a -2 penalty to the attack roll. The dwarf thief rolls a 16. Minus 2 means it is 14 and not enough to land a damaging blow on Kam. The second thief attacks with his dagger, jumping across the room. He rolls a 7. Minus 2 is 5. This is definitely not enough to harm Kamrek. Kamrek's turn. For this combat round he rolls a 12. This is just enough to strike the AC of 8 for the Dwarf thief. The dwarf thief has 6 hit points. Kamrek swings his axe for 1d8+1 damage dealing 4 points of damage to the dwarf thief. End of the first round.

Round 2. Kamrek again rolls a 1, and the thieves roll a 2. The dwarf thief does a morale check and succeeds. Both thieves will remain attacking. The dwarf thief attacks with a roll of 8 for a miss. The human thief attacks with a 1, also missing Kam. Kamrek attacks the dwarf thief again with an attack roll of 16. This is enough to damage the thief who is at 2 hit points. Kamrek deals 9 points of damage. I rule that decapitated the dwarf right there with this axe.

Round 3. The other thief makes a morale check and passes. His decapitated friend seems to not phase him. Both Kamrek and the thief will fight. Kamrek rolls a 4 this time for initiative while the thief rolls a 2. Kamrek attacks with a 15 attack roll and deals 8 points of damage. That thief only had 2 hit points. Kamrek's axe bites into his torso, smashing him to the ground with a powerful overhead strike. Both bandits are dead.

I wasn't expecting a fight here so I asked the oracle if there was treasure there. The roll was 2, "No, but...".

Kamrek tries to search the room. In 10 minutes, (1 turn), nothing comes up. He decides not to push his luck and leave.

I do a random encounter check to determine if anyone outside of the room was aware of the scuffle. No encounter is rolled.

Being lawful good, and having just dealt justice to two thieves, Kamrek decides to grab the bodies of the two deceased thieves and drag them out of the room. "These two degenerates attempted to murder. So I stopped them," Kamrek says to the Innkeeper. "You told me to do in there, innkeeper, I suggest you break ties with Una if this is how her men seek to treat potential customers."

A reaction roll is rolled, 83%. The innkeeper is apologetic.

The innkeeper, in a flustered manner, stumbles a bit toward the bodies dumped on his floor and apologizes to Kamrek profusely. Kamrek decides to head to the market. He isn't feeling this battle axe so much. He elects to sell it in exchange for a bastard sword which he will wield two-handed. He also elects to sell his chainmail armor for some banded. Having converted his silver to gold in the bank (and the money changers taking a 3% cut) he feels he needs to better equip himself. The bastard sword seems like an overall more balanced weapon for the kinds of things he may face in the sewers. Improving his AC by 1 seems worth it as well. Killing the two thieves earned Kamrek 28 xp as well putting his total at 270.