Send the kids to play with human remains, and vermin in old crypts. Perfectly normal...

Today I had the first RPG game ever with my lads. My youngest is five, and my eldest nine years old, although my eldest is mentally behind my youngest both in intelligence and emotion.

I chose to run a Micro Chapbook by Noah Patterson, namely the Skeleton Cavern. It’s designed for solo play, and has random generation of the dungeon. It’s also a first for me, with this system, even though I’ve read the “Deluxe” offerings true the last couple of days, and got the basic ones of the 0.0 and 1.0 series as it wasn’t an expense, really, so might as well. So we went in together!

Just a quick little thing; It’s not more of an RPG then early CRPG's, but it’s fun enough, and my kids haven’t tried anything else - yet.

Instead of one adventure going in, I had them team up. They both wanted to be fighters, so yey(!), which means they basically have “advantage” on strength rolls - attacking, and forcing doors open. My wee one then wanted to put all his points in strength which made him some bad ass fighter to be sure, and my eldest went with wits - suppose he liked being the smart one in our fantasy, and good for him! Then they had to choose a race. Human, hobbit (well, it’s called halfling), dwarf and elf. Races add a point to one of the four stats. My young one wanted to be a shark… He got this pirate ship toy for Christmas with one of the pirates being what we would likely call a wereshark, so I figured that would be a strength bonus (the stats are strength, dexterity, wits and charisma),and when my big one wanted to be a fox… well, wits would fit fine, and it worked with the “build” of his in-game persona.

The only random roll in persona creation is for gold. Both rolled three on a 2d6! That’s a bad start, I tell you. Well, the shark got a short sword (insisting it was long) and a shield, and the fox got a dagger and a cloak. Cool looking to be sure. But then dad helped them pick it out with their limited funds, so how could it be any other way!

The character sheets in our local tongue are here, for what it’s worth,

The dungeon is generated by first rolling a d6 to find the size in squares (deluxe make that 2d6 FYI) and they are required by decree of the mighty N. Patterson to be orthogonally connected! I learned a new word - thankyou Noah. But hey, draw as you like, kids.

After this you roll for the number of doors, and if these are trapped, locked, the type of room, and the monsters present - there are monsters present in any room not yet explored, except the first.

First they went and found a tunnel into the mountain side, with a door at the end, and one on either side. The floor was muddy (we are not supposed to roll for that in the first room, but I forgot) which my youngest found glorious as he slid along on his shield. Good times. They chose a door to the west, and discovered the room had a stone floor, and there was a rat with wings flapping about in there. There may appear up to six of these abominations, but we rolled only one. Good start. They rolled to see if they lost their nerve, which they both did (my youngest protested this) and so lost some of the derived stat “will”. Then the shark attacked, won, and dad forgot to roll damage. After a round more I realized this, rolled, and we then nullified the second round as the critter was offed by that first cut.

They got two gold for their trouble (100g. can buy you a level), and then went through the western door, even though my young one wanted to go north, while still insisting that his big brother should choose, this time… well, west they went. The door was trapped, but my big guy took care of that with his wits, and they entered the smallest crypt one could imagine, with four skeleton archers rolling out of their cuffins. My big’un starts losing focus, and laughing happily continuously from now on, but we get through the battle by the, end with me running his persona as he wanted mommys tablet, from now on. But he had a good time. I think he got hyped by his disarming success. We did celebrate it! Or maybe it was my youngest idea that throwing his shield at the skeletons over and over was the best way of takeing them down, who knows. Oh, and they got one tiny gold coin for their troubles *sigh*.

The shark and fox are now all out of “will” which impacts their dice rolls. They are basically scared, or have lost hope. But we go back east, and up north, finding another crypt with four skeleton archers! Slams the door, back to town. Live to fight another day, you know. I guess they can heal at the inn, for a gold coin, bringing them to full fighting strength.

They both want to play again, and as long as they have fun, I’m glad!

Oh, yeah, and my young kid are so happy that there was mud in the first cave, so he could slide in it :D Good thing I forgot not to roll for type.

The map we ended the session with looks like this:

Happy New Year!

~J

Plagiarism is the Highest Form of Praise.

Funny thing. I was reading The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun the other day (January 2018, actually, as this is a fixed re-post), and I thought I read something very similar before, then I realized where. Mechanized Men of Mars! I think it might be working best in Mechanized Men of Mars, but that could be because I read it there first, and not in the older source.


The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun:

The Temple was built in a previous age, a secret place of worship to Tharizdun, He of Eternal Darkness. It drewthemost wicked persons to it, and the cult flourished for generations, sending out its minions from time to time to enact some horrible deed upon the lands around. However, a great battle eventually took place between Tharizdun and those opposed to his evil. Unable to destroy him, they were strong enough to overcome his power and imprison him somewhere, by means none have ever been able to discover. Thus Tharizdun disappeared from the face of the earth, and from all of the other known planes, and has not been seen again since. After a time his servants returned again to the Temple, deserted as it was of any manifestation of their deity. Amongst these wicked folk were many powerful magic-users and clerics. All sought with utmost endeavor todiscern what had happened to Tharizdun, so that he could be freed and returned to rule over them once again. All attempts were in vain, although the divinations and seekings did reveal to these servants of Eternal Darkness that a “Black Cyst” existed below the Temple. By physical work and magical means they delved downward to reach the Black Cyst. What they discovered there dismayed and disheartened them. In the hemisphereof black needlerock (floating as if by levitation) a huge form could beseen. Was this the physical manifestation of Tharizdun? None could tell. The misty form was black and indistinct and enclosed in vaporous purple energy as well. No ritual, no spell, no magic could pierce the enigma. As time passed, the seekers ritualized their attempts to determine if this was their imprisoned deity. An altar of black needlerock was constructed directly under the 12’ long form so that it seemed to rest upon the stone. As generations passed, various other things necessary to survival in the Black Cyst were formalized into a paeon of lament and worship for Tharizdun, and endless services to awaken the being were conducted by route. Then, as time continued to pass, even this ritual grew stale and meaningless. The clerics of Tharizdun began to pilfer the hoard of beautiful gems sacrificed to him by earlier servants -- 333 gems of utmost value, ranging in worth from 5,000 to 50,000 gold pieces each. Replacing these jewels with stones of much lessvalue, the former servants of this deity slipped away with their great wealth to serve other gods and wreak evil elsewhere. In the end only a handful of faithful clerics remained to repeat the daily ritual of attempted awakening. Some of this handful were slain by monsters, others eventually grew old and died. The last High Priest, alone, wandered off into the place reserved for his remains in the dungeon, foralone he was unable to take his proper place in the Undertemple. Thus, a century ago, the last servant of Tharizdun died, and the Temple was without inhabitant of human sort. Various wandering monsters eventually used the Temple as a lair for a time. Some moved on, some descended into the depths of the place, some were slain as is the wont of such creatures. Already dim in the recollection of humankind for decades, the Temple was forgotten by all but a few sages and savants generations before the last of its clerics was dead. Those creatures which dwelt in it from time to time knew not its nameor purpose. The placewas truly The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun, and until exploring adventurers deem it otherwise, it will remain so.

Mechanized Men of Mars:

The vault of K’Ral was built in a previous age, a secret place of power and research for a long forgotten mad scientist. It drew the most unsavory persons to it, and the cult flourished for generations, sending out its minions from time to time to enact some horrible deed upon the lands around. However, a great battle eventually took place between the cult leader and those who opposed his sinister motives. Unable to destroy him, they were strong enough to overcome his power and imprison him somewhere deep within the vault. And sealed it for all time. His servants scattered across the lands. After a time his servants returned again to the vault, deserted as it was of any manifestation of their leader. Among these deranged folk were many highly advanced scientists and powerful mentalists. All sought with utmost endeavor to discern what happened to K’Ral, so that he could be freed and returned to rule over them once again. All attempts were in vain, although their scans and seeking did reveal to these servants that a chamber existed below the vault. By physical labor and mechanical means they delved downward to reach the chamber. What they discovered dismayed and disheartened them. In the center of the black obsidian, floating by some unknown force, was a huge sealed casket that could not be reached or touched by any means as though some impenetrable force field surrounded it. Noxious vapors and strange green energy radiated from within the area. As time passed, the seekers ritualized their attempts to determine how to free K’Ral. An altar of obsidian was constructed directly under the floating casket so that it seemed to rest upon the stone. As generations passed, various other things necessary to survival in the chamber were formalized into an array of futile effort and worship for K’Ral, and endless services to awaken and free him were conducted by the faithful. Then, as time continued to pass, even this ritual grew stale and meaningless. The followers of K’Ral began to pilfer anything of value and slipped away to serve other masters and wreak their misdeeds elsewhere. In the end only a handful of faithful servants remained to repeat the daily ritual of awakening. Some of this handful were slain by creatures, others eventually grew old and died. Thelast servant, alone, wandered off to the rejuvenation chamber,but without aid he was unable to operate the machinery and passed away. Thus, a hundred years ago, the last servant of K’Ral died and the vault was without inhabitant. Various wandering creatures eventually used the vault as a lair for a time. Some moved in, some descended into the depths of the place, some were slain or eaten by other creatures as so happens. Already dim in the recollection of men for decades, the vault was forgotten by all but a few learned historians.Those creatures which dwelt in it from time to time had no knowledge of the places name, purpose, or history. The place remained unexplored until a strange little man, Zeandr, a brilliant and crazed scientist infiltrated the dilapidated vault which had become an itinerant home for a tribe of Warhoon. He discovered how to operate the equipment, reactivated some of the machinery, and controlled the few mechanical men that were still in good enough repair to function. With these metal servants he chased off the Warhoon, then set about restoring the ancient laboratory and factory to manufacture new mechanical men. Zeandr could not figure out how to open K’Ral’s casket, despite many clever attempts. What he did discover though, were many ancient recordings and a scan of K’Ral’s mental faculties. Zeandr used these to wipe the brain of a slave (who bore a remarkable resemblance to K’Ral) and replace them with all of K’Ral’s memories, thoughts and attitudes. Zeandr thought for a time that he would be able to control this charismatic man and use him as a puppet. But the reborn K’Ral had other plans, with no knowledge that he was actually a fabricated copy, he proceeded to enforce his will on the mechanized men who were programmed to obey him unquestioningly. Soon he enslaved many other men and used the facilities of the vault to increase the manufacturing of mechanical men into an impressive army.

Funny to find that.

They made it their own, well :)


~J