This time we got a large nondescript pizza, one that met the dietary requirements of all concerned.

Games are on Tuesdays sometime after 5PM at World's Best Comics, 9714 Warwick Blvd Newport News, Virginia 23601.

++++ START OF SESSION ++++

After the party sent the Acid Weasels packing, they encountered a fork in the road. For that "Boo Gah" gave them a hearty "Thanks for taking the right path. I was beginning to doubt this party had any brains."

Shortly thereafter, the party came across a furry six foot tall and obviously male furry humanoid with his arms folded and his face in a pout, asking, "Did you bring my wife?"

The party's first response was "Did you lose her?"

Of course the party had no idea what this creature was talking about. But during the course of the conversation, the creature started inspecting the party members, finally arriving in front of Krazzek. Now Krazzek you understand has the character flaw of "Strange Body Odor", causing to most humans a negative one to their Charisma factor. However to other humanoids this same flaw causes an attraction of a "primal" nature. The creature said "Are you my new wife?"

Before the situation could get out of hand they distracted the creature with more questions.

Eventually they surmised that this creature, "Timmy" by name, one year ago had paid a previous adventurer named "Rahl" for a mail order bride. He has been waiting ever since. It had been such a long wait, Timmy" has become rather desperate. The party came up with a solution that seemed at the outset rather clever.

They volunteered "Daniella" as Timmy's bride. (The Player for Daniella wasn't there to argue so I had to play Daniella's part.) So I made it so Daniella initially refused, insisting on a church wedding as a precondition. Since as there were no churches along the path of this forest.

Numrendir turned the corner against this reasoning by using his Wand of Illusion to simulate a full church, complete with relatives including simulated witnesses. This cost several charges from his wand to last or the duration of the ceremony. Honda who had the Compulsive Liar flaw was all in favor of this deception. Huang who had the Truthful flaw and couldn't lie just stood there shaking his head just to keep his mouth shut. The party went up to Timmy's cave for a pre-wedding bachelor party. Honda and Daniella stayed outside all night making wedding preparations along with Boo Gah, who complained all the while the party were idiots.

The best plans often run into a glitch.

Daniella also had the flaw that I invoked: "Attention Deficit Disorder" meaning Daniella must make a Wisdom check. If she fails the check she must begin doing something else. She failed her Wisdom check and ran away, leaving Timmy at the altar. Honda, Elefus and Timmy had to chase her down and complete the ceremony.

Without having an after-wedding reception the party decided to move on.

Then there was another earthquake. Followed by an "I told you so" from Boo Gah.

GM's note: From the module it says: "This encounter is sometimes referred to the 'Deadliest Encounter in HackMaster', for the high rate of Honor Purges and Total-Party-Kills it has fostered in tournaments."

Next on the agenda, the party found a huge gorge along the path 120 feet wide and 240 feet deep traversed by a five foot wide bridge made out of pristine marble. Using their various detection devices, the party could find no illusions nor invisible monsters. The party decided to cross. Numrendir took the lead while Kmaregh flew alongside on his broom.

Halfway across they were attacked by two Manticores who had been hiding out of eyesight beneath the bridge. Their moves were directed by a Womanticore, who was obviously in charge with her heat ray. Elefus unharmed by the Manticores saving a one time hit from the heat ray in his armor used his Winged Boots of Flying to face them.

Weasel, who had been guarding the rear along with Boo Gah, flew off as well. Together they both defeated one Manticore and the Womanticore sending the last one retreating into his cave just beneath the bridge. Elefus who was closest, followed.

Meanwhile back at the bridge all those who were still crossing were attached by pseudopod that came directly out of the bridge itself. It turned out, the bridge itself was a monster, a DoppelMeister, one of the largest flesh eating creatures on the planet. It causes two twelve-sided dice of damage whenever it hit, and it always hit. To add insult to injury, anyone not wearing armored boots took an additional twelve sided die of damage to their feet as the creature's digestive juices ate their through their shoes.

Instead of carefully walking across the bridge the characters decided to run as fast as they could. Of those that couldn't fly, only Numrendir, Huang and Honda made it. Numrendir because he was in the lead, Huang & Honda, because they had exceptional speed when running. Slim, Bane, Daniella, and her new Husband Timmy didn't make it, and If they weren't absorbed by the creature, they made red artwork on the rocks 240 feet below.

Krazzek the Dwarf and Boo Gah, the old man sent by the Gawds, were closest to the rear so they made an about-face and attempted to run back whence they came but failed and also absorbed.

Back in the cave Elefus heard this lowing sound and out came forward came a cow. Unfortunately for Elefus he had acquired a temporary flaw, which was an inordinate fear of cattle with a fifty-fifty chance of either flight or stay frozen in place.

He froze.

Additionally, the Player for Huang played one of the new character flaw cards on the Player for Elefus. "Depression". Not only was Elefus stuck in place, he could not do anything about it for 20 minutes (or 20 rounds of game time). The remaining Manticore approached and attacked Elefus mercilessly. Fortunately for Elefus he was inside his nearly impenetrable armor, but it was like being inside the tank named "Fury" without ammo near the end of the movie. Eventually the Manticore would find a can opener.

I'm beginning to like my new idea of the "Flaw" cards being played by Players on other Players.

Topside, Kmaregh and Weasel attacked the DoppelMeister with their energy weapons. Finally Huang landed the killing blow. and the bridge collapsed into the mass of goo it really was, and it ended up at the bottom of the gorge.

Elefus was finally rescued just in the nick of time by Weasel who flew down to the cave and used his Model S3 blaster at the most destructive setting at the Manticore, disintegrating it. Elefus who was also in the path of the energy beam made his saving throw (thanks to his armor) and survived.

Lastly another old balding man appeared in the path leading away from the bridge saying: "Greetings, I am Boo Gah the Second, sent to guide you by the Gawds."

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

BT







BBBB

++++ CHARACTER ROSTER ++++

PLAYERS

Count Elefus, Human Male Deacon
Sir Weasel, Human Guild Soldier, Enchanter, & Myrmidon
Sir Kmaregh Dismal, Human Thaumaturgist
Sir Huang - Master Monk of the Stone Tiger Order
Dame Honda - Human Samurai Bushi
Numrendir - Human Coercer
Krazzek Thunderkeg - Dwarf Gumshoe (Now deceased).
Daniella Lia Xiloscent - Half Elf Footpad (Now deceased).
Bane - Human Hero (Fighter, now deceased).

NPCs:

Slim, an Elf Presdigitator/Footpad. (Now deceased).
Boo Gah, a perpetual old man sent by the Gawds

CAPTURED CHARACTERS

Junkbot Jackson - Tracker/Adept
Gerry Castagere, Human Fingersmith, and ever loving devotee of Elefus
Fundisha - Half-Elf Swordsperson