Games are (usually) on Thursday nights sometime after 6:30PM at World's Best Comics, 9714 Warwick Blvd Newport News, Virginia 23601.

We had two large pizzas, one Pepperoni, one Chicken. After many weeks, we had a session of HackMaster.

PART 1.

++++ START OF SESSION ++++

The party took some respite from their endeavors by accepting the hospitality of the Cultists of ID, memorizing spells, healing, sleep, et. al. During this period one character mentioned their spell book contained a dearth of spells. So I suggested the player take some initiative and steal them from another character. I amended that to include friendly borrowing, if another character agreed. So there was some die rolling involved, as players invoked some "Write" spells to copy spells from each others spell books. As I also told them there is a chance of failure, they can attempt again when they gain another level. It was as if that was a harbinger of fate, as one Player kept rolling ones and twos on their attempts, we even tried using a new die after every bad roll.

This evolution probably took a day or two, since the each spell Written takes one hour per spell level pass or fail. Their hosts were rather nice about the party taking their time. The non-magic users were easily entertained and an alliance was made.

Aerys made the first move towards an alliance, or at least an association. First the Cultists "alignment" was ascertained.

While this is usually a social faux pas, the Cultists made no dissembling. The Cultists Priestess, the significance of her position apparently obvious by her glowing blue eyes when she spoke, (like a G'aould from Stargate): "We're Evil," she said, "but at least we're honest about it."

The party pondered this, finally Aerys came up with a rejoinder: "Do you have any Neutral or Good Chapters of your Religion? If not, can we start one?"

"I don't see why not," she said, "we're always looking for new members. This could be an interesting method to expand our franchise."

So the deal was struck. I proffered the Player a briefing on the Religion of ID (to be delivered later), as I had previously said the Characters had been given the pamphlets and tracts anyway.

After this the Party, accompanied by the Cultists, went out exploring level Nine. Although it should be obvious dear reader, the Cultists were quite familiar with parts of this level. They went along to see what the party would do.

They went North then turned Southwest to see the staircase they came down before. Seeing nothing, they turned into a short hallway going Northwest that ended in a heavy door. Eventually breaking it down as it took more than one attempt, they found a small ten foot by ten foot square room with a door on each wall (including the one they came in). Within it was a large statue of a Goblin with various "offerings" placed around it. Specifically, some flasks with unknown fluids (one ceramic, three glass), a jar filled with blood, a silver goblet filled with cheap ale, two moldy pieces of bread, some moldy cheese, several teeth and bones, a gold signet ring, an empty scroll case, a crushed holy symbol of an unidentified diety, three decomposed headless chickens, the head of a female elf. various silver and copper coins, a vial of ink, a quill, and a scorched wizard's spell book. Since they had just gone through that process of transcribing spells, they simply stowed it, and anything else of value.

After successfully desecrating whatever intent these offerings were by taking them, the party made a exited the chamber by the easily opened (from the inside) door opposite the way they came. Coming to a "T" intersection they turned left, passed some corridors came within view of the aforesaid staircase and turned left again to find themselves outside one of the side doors to the same statue room.

Forcing this door open, they went past the statue through the other side and came out to another "T" intersection. Turning left they came to a door on their right, and checked to see if it was locked. It was, and they attempted to unlock it or force it I forget which as it didn't matter. One of the Characters, (probably Numrendir), at this point noticed that a mere 10 further was a wide open corridor at a 135 degree angle relative to their current corridor and decided to peek around it.

What he or she saw where a pair of Goblins aiming their arrows at the back side of the door the rest of the party was attempting to open. Whoever it launched a Phantasmal Fireball and hit for beau coup hit poitnts. 3 out of 4 Goblins failed their saving throw (there were 2 other Goblins around the corner), but they all survived. The two visible Goblins did a mere right face and let loose their arrows back at Numrendir for 11 hit points.

At this point Grok cast a Sidewinder Fireball (Factor 2) and downed a couple of the Goblins. One of the Goblins had charged Numrendir but Grok was ready to meet him on the second round and struck with his Short Sword (being a Battle Mage) and rolled a critical hit. (Using my cheesy system, he scored triple max hits, dropping the Goblin.

These Goblins were a bit difficult to take down, apparently they were Sixth Level Fighter Goblins.

In any case the surviving two Goblins failed their Morale Check and offered the location of their boss, just through the next door down the hall.

++++ OUT OF CHEESE ERROR ++++

BT







BBBB

PART 2.

++++ CHARACTER ROSTER ++++

CHARACTERS
Grok the Dwarf, a third level
WitchRanger
(Battlemage subclass of Magic User).
Aerys, an Elvariel, a Fingersmith (Thief class).
Baronet Huang - a Master of the West Wind of the Stone Tiger Order, (Monk class).
Numrendir - a human Conjurist (a Conjuror, Magic User subclass)
Junkbot Jackson - a human Tracker/Friar (a Ranger 5th and Cleric 6th level).

NPCs/Proteges:
Baronetess Honda - a Human Datai Samurai, Steward of Catan (formerly Temple of the Frog)
Gnomex, a Gnome
Adept
of Geardal Ironhand (Cleric class.)
Tanzen - a Fae-Born first level Exciter. (Fourth level Invoker, a Magic User subclass).
Fundisha - a half-Elf Swordsperson/Tout (Fighter and Infiltrator, a Thief subclass).

CAPTURED CHARACTERS (both PCs and NPCs)
Gerry Castagere, human Fingersmith, (Thief class) and ever loving devotee of Elefus, abandoned to the Blood Cult in the City of Brass on the Plane of Fire.

MISSING
/OFFLNE/RETIRED
CHARACTERS

Felipe the Dwarf, a third level Sigil (Chosen One subclass of Cleric).

Jacko, an Albino Dork Elf, a Master Espion (Infiltrator, subclass of Thief).
Serena 2.0 - First Level Battle Mage
Second
(a Protege of Jacko).
Sir Weasel, human Guild Soldier, Warlock, & Champion (Thief, Magic User, & Fighter classes) he stayed back in BlackMoor.
- and nine Pilgrim henchmen of various levels. (They wear hoodies.)
Slade Wilson - Dwarven Professional (a Bounty Hunter, Fighter subclass) Left behind at Catan.

BT







BBBB

++++ RECORD KEEPING ++++


PART 3.


This is also posted on three forums, and a blog.
viewforum.php?f=76
http://www.furiouslyeclectic.com/forum/f...php?fid=13
http://www.kenzerco.com/forums/forumdisp...ster-Tales
http://furiouslyeclectic.com/hackmoor/

Wow! very unexpected allies! but at least honest...

That's the "Lawful" nature of their Evil. They're dissembling of course, treachery will eventually make itself apparent. But how soon?

Added map graphic to this post and the next posts of 2018/03/22 and 2018/03/29.

Awesome map! :)

-Havard

I plan to backfill the Party's earlier explorations with similar maps.

Signature omitted for brevity.