TEXT: Tutorial
  
  1
  Credits
  James Edward Raggi IV
  Writing, Layout
  lotfp@lotfp.com
  Amos Orion Sterns
  Cover Art, Interior Art
  ravenconspiracyx@gmail.com
  Dean Clayton
  Interior Art
  www.wix.com/samhain777/Dean-Clayton
  Ramsey Dow
  Cartography
  yesmar@speakeasy.net
  Caroline Byrne
  David Macauley
  Zak Sabbath
  Editing
  Maria Kyytinen
  Additional Proofreading
  © 2010 James Edward Raggi IV
  ISBN 978-952-5904-03-1
  www.lotfp.com/RPG/
  http://lotfp.blogspot.com
  
  2
  What is a Role-Playing Game?
  There’s this imaginary world, see, and you’ve got this character that is
  “you” in this world, right, and things happen – you find yourself in some
  situation, and you have decisions to make. What do you do? And there
  are consequences for your choices, maybe good, maybe bad, maybe a
  little bit of both. There will be another decision to make soon. What do
  you do?
  That’s role-playing. “You’re pretending to be this guy, and stuff is
  happening to that guy. What do you do?”
  Beyond that, role-playing is also a game. There are winners and there are
  losers. In fact, because RPGs are an interactive and cooperative social
  experience, it is often possible that everyone wins or everyone loses a
  particular game. When you become a character, you don’t know whether
  you are destined for great things, or fated to suffer an ignoble and useless
  death. You are not living the life of a storybook hero, you are exploring
  a fantasy world as if it were real. And fantasy worlds are dangerous!
  However, winning and losing in the end is not as important as playing the
  game itself. Was the game interesting? Was it exciting? If it was, then it
  really doesn’t matter if your character failed to reach his goals, or failed
  to survive at all. If not, then does it really matter if the character defeated
  many monsters and gathered a lot of treasure? No. In fact, sometimes
  losing is more interesting and exciting than winning.
  Traditional role-playing games, such as LotFP Weird Fantasy Role-
  Playing, use rulebooks and dice to determine the outcomes of actions
  within the game. The game is typically played with all the participants
  around a table, with one player, called the Referee, moderating the
  in-game situations and enforcing the rules of the game.
  Does this sound complicated? Perhaps it is, a little. This game creates a
  structure for you to imagine unlimited adventure and intrigue within an
  infinite number of possible worlds, after all. But learning a role-playing
  game is no more complicated or time-consuming than reading a book.
  
  3
  Even children have gotten through these concepts and learned these games
  on their own. Jump in and don’t be afraid to make mistakes – that will
  happen regardless – and you’ll be fine.
  
  4
  The Dice
  Dice are more important than oxygen to a gamer. If you really get into
  the hobby, you’ll wind up owning hundreds of the damn things, and
  likelier than not, you’ll have different dice that you take out in specific
  game situations, because they’re lucky if used in just those situations.
  You’ll develop little rituals which you will swear influence your dice to
  roll in your favor. You’ll get annoyed when somebody else touches your
  dice without getting explicit permission first.
  This exalted status is given to dice because they matter. In RPGs, you
  never know what is going to happen. Not until the dice tell you. Who wins
  in a fight? Does anybody notice while you sneak around? Are you zapped
  by that spell? Only the dice know. Treat them well, and maybe they will
  treat you well.
  Here are the dice used in this game:
  The 20-sided die, or d20, is one of the most important dice
  in the game: it is used to resolve whether you hit in combat
  and whether you escape traps, dragon breath, etc. In general,
  the die is rolled, modifiers added or subtracted, and if the
  total result equals or exceeds a target number, the roll is a
  success; otherwise it has failed.
  The 10-sided die, or d10, is used to generate numbers from
  1 to 10. One of them is numbered 0 to 9, but a roll of 0 is
  counted as 10. The other is a die numbered 00 to 90, and
  used together these dice generate numbers from 1 to 100,
  where a roll of 00 and 0 is counted as 100.
  Rolling two d10s this way is called a percentile roll, or
  d%. These rolls are generally against target numbers, but
  for the roll to be a success, the result must be equal to or
  less than the target number. So, for example, if there is
  a 30% chance of a magic potion being brewed correctly,
  the player succeeds if the result is 01 to 30.
  
  5
  The 4-sided die, or d4, is a special case. As it has no flat
  surface on top, the number which is upright after rolling
  is the result of the roll.
  The other dice normally used have 6, 8, and 12 sides, and are called d6,
  d8, and d12 respectively. d6's may be made with either numbers or pips
  (dots); it makes no difference which sort you choose.
  When multiple dice are to be rolled and added together, it's noted in the
  text like this: 2d6 (roll two d6 dice and add them together), or 3d4 (roll
  three d4 dice and add them together). Sometimes a modifier makes a die
  roll higher (or lower). This will be noted as a “plus” or “minus” value,
  such as 2d8+2 (roll two d8 dice and add them together, then add 2 to the
  total), or 2d4-1 (roll two d4 dice and add them together, then subtract one
  from the total).
  
  6
  Your First Adventure
  This introductory adventure will present basic concepts and situations of
  the game through a story form. Simply read through, making notes and
  rolling dice when instructed, and you’ll have taken your first step towards
  mastering the game.
  For your first adventure experience, you will pretend to be a warrior –
  which in this game is called a Fighter – a veteran of the local army who
  has mustered out of the service and is looking for something more out of
  life. There is an abandoned mansion at the edge of town that you know
  only two things about: It’s haunted, and its previous owner supposedly
  left a stash of jewels there. Who are you to resist?
  Your Character
  In the game, it’s not simply enough to describe the people and other things
  in broad terms. “You’re pretty strong and fairly quick,” might give a good
  starting mental picture of a character, but in terms of the game it is
  important to know exactly how strong and how quick.
  These basic descriptors are called Ability Scores, or stats, and are
  measured on a scale of 3 to 18. Every character has six ability scores:
  Charisma, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Strength, and Wisdom.
  We will describe each ability score when the time comes, but for now just
  note a few of your character’s stats:
  12 Dexterity
  9 Intelligence
  13 Strength
  Ability scores ranging from 9 to 12 would be considered in the normal
  human range, so your character is about average in Intelligence and
  Dexterity, but is extraordinarily strong.
  In the full version of the game, you’d roll these scores randomly.
  
  7
  Your character will also need equipment to survive adventuring. Because
  of your military service, you own a suit of chain armor and a sword, and
  carry a dagger on your belt. You carry some other items, such as rope, a
  lantern, a bottle of oil, a tinderbox with flint and steel, and some food and
  pots. You keep all of these things in a sturdy leather backpack.
  You should name your character. This name can be anything you want,
  but the more “real” the name is, the more you will come to see your
  character as a person and not just a game piece.
  Are you ready to begin?
  The Haunted House
  According to local legend, the Lidenbrock family has always been spoken
  ill of. From the old rumors of black magic and witchcraft that old-timers
  tell in hushed tones, to more recent blasphemies against the Church and
  natural order in the name of this newfangled “science,” the Lidenbrocks
  have always been involved with illicit activity.
  More recently, one Professor Otto Lidenbrock (“educated” at one of those
  mysterious “universities” in the east) caused scandal with his theories
  about the nature of the planet. He had announced his intent to descend
  into the mouth of a dormant volcano, travel straight through the Earth’s
  center and emerge on the other side of the world. He was gone for some
  months, and when he returned he was silent about his travels. He soon
  left again, and never returned. And just a few weeks back, the town council
  condemned the abandoned family home of the Lidenbrocks.
  Rumors abounded that he had sold some gems with the local jeweler. Had
  he found them in his expeditions below? More importantly, did he leave
  any behind? And were there any other secrets left behind when the last
  Lidenbrock left their ancestral home? Now that the property has been
  condemned, there is no legal barrier to going in and exploring the house
  yourself…
  
  8
  At sunset, you put on your gear and head out to the old Lidenbrock
  mansion. Morning might be a better time to explore a house owned by
  those aligned with dark forces, but you would be easily seen traveling
  through town fully armed and armored or you could be seen entering the
  house. You wouldn’t want to attract attention or inspire other, more-
  skilled profiteers to compete for any available riches…
  You steal through the main gate of the property and, guided by the
  moonlight, you sneak around to the back of the house. The windows are
  all boarded up, those on the first floor anyway, and out back you find the
  cellar door is still padlocked. Trying the back door to the house itself, you
  find that door opens inward ever so slowly, with a small creak to announce
  your presence.
  It is pitch dark inside. You take a moment to fill your lantern with oil and
  use the flint and steel within your tinderbox (alas, no matches exist in this
  world) to light the lantern. Then you step inside.
  You find yourself in a hallway that leads straight into the darkness. As
  you advance, the aged floorboards give a small bit under your weight. Up
  ahead, you see two doors on either side of the continuing hallway. What
  an oddly constructed house!
  Wanting to get an idea of the layout of the place before exploring any
  individual rooms, you pass the doorways, intending to reach the end of
  the hall. But suddenly the door on your right opens. A small grey
  humanoid creature about half your height, with oversized talons, a great
  toothy smile, and sickly spines comes out of the doorway, attacking you!
  Adventures in role-playing often have exposition like this, delivered by
  the game Referee. It is done in an effort to make the game world more
  real and to give your actions within it a little more meaning than they
  would otherwise have.
  This is a tutorial, so descriptions of your actions like, “You do this, you
  wouldn’t want that,” are given to you. In the full game, you choose what
  you do and when and why.
  
  9
  It swipes at you with its claws, but they scrape harmlessly off your mail.
  Only a lunatic engages in violence when it is not necessary, but in this
  world monsters are real, and those who step into dark places must be ready
  to defend themselves. Often it is possible to parley with any potentially
  hostile beings you encounter – but obviously not in this case. You wonder
  why this thing is so hostile, as humanoid creatures are usually at least
  somewhat intelligent and able to communicate. There must be a reason
  for this aggression! When attacked, there is also the option of running
  away – but in this case, you’re armored and have your sword at the ready
  so you feel you can easily outfight this small, nasty creature.
  How to Attack
  In this game, combat is played in game turns called Rounds. Each round
  is six seconds of time. There are all sorts of things that you can choose to
  do in one round of a regular game, but in this case you will be fighting
  with wretched creature.
  When you attack, you do not automatically hit your opponent (which is
  good – this means that whenever an opponent attacks, they do not
  automatically hit you). The more agile you are, and the more armor you
  have, the harder it is for opponents to hit you with damaging blows.
  To swing at an opponent, roll the 20-sided die. This is called a To-Hit
  Roll. That die looks like this:
  “Rounds” and “turns” and other terms of time measurement in the game
  are just that – game terms. A six second game round may take far longer
  to play out in real life, and a ten minute game turn may pass with just a
  couple words in real life.
  
  10
  To hit this creature, you must roll a 12 or greater on that die. You only
  need a 12 because the monster has weak defenses and you are a strong
  fighter. If the creature was tougher, or you had another profession (that
  is, if you were not a combat-hardened Fighter but an arcane Magic-User
  or skilled  Specialist, for example), you would need to roll a higher number.
  If you roll an 11 or less, you miss. The monster suffers no damage from
  your attack. It will then attempt to attack you again, but it will also fail to
  inflict damage. Then you can attempt to hit it again.
  If you hit it by rolling high enough, then you cut it badly with your sword!
  It screams and then darts down the hallway before you can stop it. You
  hear the *thump thump thump* of what sounds like the creature running
  up some stairs.
  If you miss again, keep rolling until you hit. We will assume for the time
  being that this monster will not hit you.
  Damage
  When a person or a creature is hit in combat, this will cause damage.
  Damage, and the ability to withstand damage, is called Hit Points. Hit
  points, or hp, represent a number of factors. First of all, hit points represent
  the physical capacity of a character or creature to withstand punishment
  and injury. For advanced characters, who have more hit points than
  starting characters, hit points also represent subtler factors such as luck,
  the ability to lessen the damage of attacks by rolling with the blows, and
  the willpower to ignore minor wounds that beginning characters cannot.
  The number of hit points a character or monster possesses is the amount
  of damage that can be withstood until unconsciousness or even death
  results. Normally, when you successfully attack, you roll a die to
  determine how many hit points worth of damage your attack inflicts, and
  that damage is subtracted from the defender’s hit point value.
  Needless to say, combat in the full game is far more perilous.
  
  11
  Your character, being a hearty Fighter, has 10hp. Note this alongside your
  Ability Scores. The monster attempted to attack you, but never penetrated
  your defenses, so you did not lose any hit points. That the creature
  physically touched you when it first attacked and scraped your armor does
  not matter; it did not succeed in its to-hit roll, so your armor did its job
  and no damage was inflicted – so we call the attack a miss.
  One combat round lasts six seconds of game-time, and any skilled warrior
  will strike multiple times in a pitched combat. The to-hit roll is merely a
  summary of your attacks that round, determining whether you have
  successfully inflicted damage. That’s all. It does not represent one
  attempted blow per roll made. Hit points are a measure of how much
  damage you can sustain before being out of a fight, not a record of every
  wound received.
  You can describe your actions in detail, if you wish. “I raise my axe and
  rain mighty blows upon his head, attempting to sever it from his
  shoulders!” Many players feel that doing so makes the game more
  exciting, more life-like for them. Other players simply wish to find out
  what happened, and quickly make their dice rolls without saying more
  than “I attack him.” Role-playing preferences are very personal, and many
  players approach it differently. Play the game as makes it most comfort-
  able and enjoyable for you.
  Constitution
  Your fighter is extraordinarily healthy. This is represented by the
  Constitution ability score. Constitution influences your character’s hit
  points. You have 10hp because you are both a battle-trained fighter and
  because your Constitution is well above average. If you had the Consti-
  tution of a normal person off the street, you would only have 8hp. You
  are impressive!
  Note your Constitution score near the other scores:
  17 Constitution
  
  12
  Now back to the adventure:
  After taking a few moments to catch your breath and make sure there is
  no more immediate danger, you decide to find out what the little gremlin
  was up to. You look through the doorway from which the monster
  emerged. In this room is a large amount of furniture, all covered in cloth.
  You stick your head in the doorway to get a better look, but can see no
  other threat and no immediate items of interest. Making a mental note to
  return to this room for a more thorough search later, you close the door.
  Now that you know there are creatures of the night lurking in this house,
  you decide to go through the opposite door in the hallway, just so any
  potential enemies would not be able to sneak up on you from behind.
  You open the door slightly, and then push it the rest of the way open with
  the tip of your sword. The creature’s ichorous blood, still fresh on your
  sword, leaves a sticky black spot on the door. This room appears to have
  been some sort of study. Much of the furniture is covered, as in the other
  room, but a desk in the center of the room looks to be bare. Maybe it
  contains information about where Lidenbrock hid his jewels!
  You move over to the desk to search it, but notice that the cloth that you
  guess used to cover this desk is now laying on the floor behind it. And
  something is under it! Something… moving. You lift the cloth a bit with
  your sword, and see a pale, unmoving arm. Is there a body under there?
  Suddenly the cloth moves again, and from underneath it slithers a deadly
  poisonous snake – a giant sort of cobra not unknown in these parts! It’s
  agitated and attacking!
  In the full game, you would be able to do almost anything you wanted
  in this situation. Try to use the cloth to cover the snake, run away, or
  jump up on the desk to escape the snake’s reach. But for the purpose of
  learning more about the procedures of the game, you will once again
  enter combat.
  
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  Your Second Battle
  For this battle, you will keep track of hit points. Your hit points are still
  10, and the snake has 4hp.
  Your to-hit roll will be 11 this time, as the snake has weaker defenses than
  the earlier creature did. However, it will be able to hit you with greater
  frequency than the previous monster.
  Make your to-hit roll. If you succeed, the snake loses one hit point, and
  now just has three left. This time, as it attacks it bites your leg! You lose
  one hit point and now have nine. However, do not forget that your normal
  hit point total is ten, as that will be important to know later.
  Poison?
  This snake is poisonous, so in addition to the damage caused by its bite,
  there is also a chance that it has poisoned you. Roll the twenty-sided die.
  If you roll 12 or higher, then the snake did not get to inject its venom
  before you pulled away. If you roll under 12, you take two more points
  of damage as the poison enters your system.
  This roll is called a Saving Throw. It is used for all sorts of situations in
  the game. Usually, failing a saving throw is very bad news. In fact, when
  poison is involved, failing a saving throw usually means your character
  dies. But because you’re learning, we’ll take it easy on you this time.
  Now it’s your turn to make a to-hit roll again. Remember that against the
  snake, your to-hit roll needs to be 11 or higher to inflict damage. If you
  hit, you subtract another hit point from the snake’s current amount.
  After your attack, the snake bites you again! Subtract another hit point
  from your total. Make another saving throw. If you roll 12 or higher,
  you’re safe from the poison. 11 or less, and once again you take two extra
  points of damage – you’re really hurting!
  It’s your turn again. Roll to hit. The snake will miss its return attack. From
  
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  this point on, when the snake has its turn, it will automatically miss. We
  don’t want to kill you on your first training game, but you should
  recognize how often it might have hit you, and how often you are likely
  to have made your saving throw. Fighting in this game is very dangerous.
  Keep rolling to hit until you have succeeded in bringing the snake to 0hp.
  Once that happens, it is incapacitated, and you can easily finish it off.
  Note that if you are ever brought to 0hp, you too will be unconscious, or
  worse.
  A Gruesome Discovery
  You are hurt after the battle with the snake, but there are more important
  things on your mind right now. There’s still something under this cloth,
  and it would be risky to leave it in case it is another dangerous creature.
  You use your sword to lift the cloth and throw it across the room, and
  what you reveal beneath it shocks and disgusts you – here is the fresh
  corpse of a man! It seems something has torn into his gut, ripping his belly
  wide open. You are no stranger to death, having seen grievous wounds
  during your tour of duty in the military, but in this situation, on a floor in
  a house, viscera exposed and falling out of the open wound, it just seems
  unnatural. And the edges of the wound… has something been eating the
  man’s flesh? You shudder.
  Yet… within his hand, the one you hadn’t uncovered earlier, are two small
  red stones that shine in your lantern light. An intruder wouldn’t just walk
  around with such things in his hands, so he must have found them here!
  There is treasure to be found!
  Money can’t help the dead, so you collect the gems off the corpse and
  begin to search the desk. You find nothing, not even old papers, but in
  the middle of your search you hear a small crash from outside the door.
  Fearing that the monster from earlier has returned, you rush out the door
  to confront it! But there’s nothing there. Turning left, you continue down
  Another reminder that in the full game, you choose whether to do all this
  or do something else instead.
  
  15
  the original hallway. You come to a large room, perhaps once a dining
  room. A number of hallways and doorways lead from the room, and…
  “Pssst. Come here, quick!”
  From one of the doorways you see the face of a woman, maybe the same
  age as you. She’s motioning for you to join her. Advancing carefully, you
  see that she has no weapons in her hands, so you let down your guard and
  enter the room. “Put that lantern out! They’ll see!” she hisses through
  gritted teeth. You shutter the lantern, and all goes dark, with only the
  moonlight slicing the gloom through the slits of the boarded windows.
  It is light enough to see that she is wearing chain armor, much like yours,
  and carries a mace that hangs from her belt. Around her neck is the symbol
  of the largest church in town, so she’s obviously quite religious.
  “Who are you, and what are you doing here?” you ask.
  “Keep your voice down!” she spits at you, tugging you down so you’re
  sitting on the floor as she is. “My name is Alice, and I came here with my
  partner Tolliver to catch a criminal. But we were ambushed and before
  we could… oh, you’re wounded!”
  She sees the bites you suffered from the snake. “I am a cleric,” Alice says.
  “I can heal you if you agree to help me.”
  This makes sense. You know that a Cleric is a type of occupation that
  tends toward adventuring, much like a Fighter (like yourself) is. Whereas
  a Fighter is trained primarily in the use of weapons, a Cleric is a religious
  warrior, having some ability with arms but their primary power comes
  from their magic, which they claim comes from their faith. You are
  dubious about the source of their power, but wherever it comes from, it
  works. Clerics are rare, but always valuable.
  Anyway, her offer sounds fair, doesn’t it? She enters a trance for a
  moment, speaking words of prayer and moving one hand around while
  clutching her holy symbol. She touches you, and she heals you of seven
  
  16
  points of damage! Make a note that your hit points are at their maximum
  once again, ten points. You cannot raise your hit points above their starting
  maximum level. Any excess healing is lost.
  Charisma and Wisdom
  Wisdom is a rather esoteric ability score, as it measures the character’s
  fundamental understanding of the universe. Call it spiritual power, if you
  will. Clerics benefit from Wisdom, as a high Wisdom score makes their
  magic powers stronger. However, in this respect your fighter is rather
  normal, with a Wisdom of 10. Note that down.
  10 Wisdom
  Charisma is a measure of a character’s authority and how much others
  are drawn to follow them. Although players aren’t affected by others’
  Charisma scores, it is pretty obvious that Alice has a decent Charisma –
  she seems commanding and used to getting her way. Your Charisma is
  about average, perhaps a little above average if you had to argue the point.
  12 Charisma
  Alice continues: “I heard that a criminal Magic-User named Iri-Khan was
  using the old Lidenbrock house as a hideout,” Alice begins. “He was
  hoping to conduct black magic rituals here, counting on the haunted house
  rumors to keep people away. Me and my Specialist Tolliver found out
  about it when our sources down in the market told us about a suspicious
  man buying supplies. Checking around, we found out what was going
  on.”
  This is bad news! Magic-Users are not like normal men. As their name
  suggests, they study the art of magic, bending reality to their whim. If an
  evil Magic-User is here, then this expedition is now ten times more
  dangerous than you’d bargained for. And Tolliver? That must be the poor
  fellow whose body you found. Specialists are resourceful folks, good at
  a great many practical things like finding booby traps and opening locked
  doors. They’re usually fairly aware of their surroundings, so if he was
  
  17
  surprised, then whatever it was that attacked him must have been very
  fast and silent.
  Adventuring as a Group
  You’ll now be exploring with Alice the Cleric. Adventuring with others
  is usually much more beneficial to any expedition, as a group is more than
  the sum of its parts – even a two-person group like this. Typically, any
  treasure found would be split between all the adventuring parties, but that
  is usually no bother, as larger groups can explore more, search more
  thoroughly, and handle larger amounts of trouble than a lone explorer.
  Alice gets up. “We should get moving. I was worried about walking
  through the house by myself in the dark after we were attacked, but with
  you here we should be able to deal with the problem. Let’s go!”
  You stand up, grabbing your sword and cracking open the lantern’s
  shutter. Creeping out through a different doorway than you came in, you
  see two stairways, one going up, and one going down. “I saw a small
  creature run past me and go up the stairs,” Alice says. “I would bet that’s
  where Iri-Khan is.” You nod in agreement.
  But before you can start up the stairs, there is a noise from below. Running
  up the stairs are two… things. They once were human, when they were
  alive. Now they are rotting, undead creatures, hungry for the flesh of the
  living. Though their feet make noise on the stairs, they make no noise as
  they move toward you. Deathlike silence.
  Alice steps in front of you, holy symbol held high, and casts another spell.
  Because Cleric spells are like prayers, you understand what she is trying
  to accomplish. It’s another common Cleric trick which involves calling
  on the power of her god to frighten away living dead such as these. It’s a
  trick called Turning the Undead.
  In the full game, once again you’d have the choice whether or not to team
  up with other characters you meet. The game does assume you to be
  adventuring with your fellow players, however.
  
  18
  Luckily, it works this time, although it doesn’t always. The Cleric’s holy
  power is too much for the ghouls to stand, and they quickly retreat back
  down the stairs.
  “We’d better move fast,” Alice says. “There’s a good chance someone
  would have heard that, and I have no more spells that I can cast today.
  We have to hit fast and hit hard!” You can’t find any flaw in that logic,
  so you go first up the stairs, Alice hot on your heels.
  At the top of the stairs is a landing with many doors. Behind one of the
  doors you hear voices.
  “That’s Iri-Khan!” Alice whispers. “That other voice must be that creature
  that attacked us.” She describes the thing, and you recognize it as the
  monster that attacked you. After seeing Tolliver’s wounds, you sure are
  glad you have armor on! The two of you move quietly to the door.
  “I don’t hear any sounds, master!” the voice comes from beyond the door,
  small and tortured. “Your undead servants must have already killed the
  intruders! Killed them dead, yes!”
  “We must be sure. There is too much evidence left in the basement, and
  we can’t risk their finding it if they’ve somehow overcome the ghouls.”
  This voice must be Iri-Khan. You hear the sounds of spell casting. “Now
  I will turn you invisible as well…”
  Alice is mortified. “We must attack now, before they are both invisible,
  or we’ll be sitting ducks!”
  “Can’t we go back?” you ask.
  “No. My turning does not last very long, so those ghouls will likely be
  ready to attack again if we pass by the stairs. We have to attack now!”
  You wonder how you’ll ever escape then even if you do win this fight,
  but whatever you do, it’s best to do it together and Alice seems hellbent
  
  19
  on attacking Iri-Khan. “Fine. Let’s go!”
  You kick the door in and the sickly-looking creature you’d encountered
  earlier whirls to meet you.
  “You take care of that thing!” Alice shouts. “I’ll deal with Khan!” You
  wonder when she started being in charge, but you certainly believe you
  can handle this creature better than an invisible Magic-User.
  The creature has two hit points remaining. You still have eight. You will
  run this battle much the same way you did the battle with the snake, with
  one addition: you will be rolling to see if the monster hits you as well.
  Make your first to-hit roll. You need a 12 to succeed, just as before. If
  you hit, subtract one hit point from your opponent. If you miss, do nothing.
  Either way, it is the monster’s turn. Make a to-hit roll on behalf of your
  opponent. If that roll is 14 or greater, it hits you – subtract 2 hit points
  from your total. It’s a hard hitter!
  During this first round of combat, Alice charges into the room and swings
  her mace confidently. To your amazement, you hear a *thump* and a
  groan of pain. She’s hit him!
  Play out another round of combat with the monster. First you roll to hit
  and apply damage if you do, and if the creature still has hit points left, it
  will attempt to hit you.
  During this round of combat, there is a flash of light as Iri-Khan reappears.
  Glowing energy crackles around his hands, and he throws it at Alice. The
  room blazes with a green-orange glow, and when the magical energy hits
  Alice, there is an instant smell of burnt hair and flesh. She is dead before
  she hits the ground, her body burned beyond all recognition. You shudder,
  This is another example of something you would have control over in
  the full game. Here, the story progresses so that you are led into a
  situation where escape is unlikely and it really is the best idea to attack.
  In the full game, you’d decide where to go, in what order, and what the
  solution is for any situation you find yourself in.
  
  20
  as that could just as easily have been you. Khan chuckles to himself.
  If your opponent is not dead yet, play another round of combat. In fact,
  Khan merely watches as you fight his servant. Continue the combat until
  the monster is reduced to zero hit points. If you are reduced to zero hit
  points, pretend you remain at 1hp and ignore all other hits against you.
  Again, the idea is not to die on your first adventure but do be aware how
  easy it is to be defeated.
  Once the creature falls, it is easily finished off with one slash of your
  sword. Then you have more serious things to worry about. Iri-Khan looks
  at you, and you see the sweat on his brow. He begins to cast another magic
  spell. You rush at him, hoping you can get within sword’s reach before
  he can finish the spell.
  You fail. You can feel Iri-Khan grasping within your mind, attempting to
  take control. Your thoughts become fuzzy, and not quite your own…
  Roll the twenty-sided die once again. You are now making a saving throw
  against Khan’s spell. Spells are more difficult to save against than poison
  for a Fighter, so this time you need to roll a 16 or higher. If you manage
  to succeed, the spell doesn’t work! Read Ending #2. If you roll a 15 or
  less, Khan’s spell dominates your mind. Read Ending #1.
  Ending #1
  “Are you badly injured, great warrior?” Iri-Khan’s face shows concern
  as he asks you.
  Your head feels fuzzy, and your wounds ache. But you don’t feel too
  badly hurt. “I’m fine. I think I got knocked on the head. What happened?”
  Khan smiles. “You were to help me with my important research here in
  this house, guarding against any intruders. This woman here,” he motions
  to Alice’s body, “tricked you into bringing her to me, and then she
  attacked me! It was horrible. She slew our homunculus there, but you
  were able to fend her off until I was able to finish her off with a spell.
  
  21
  Filthy assassin, she was!”
  No, that’s not right, is it? That can’t be what happened… yet Khan has a
  look of total sincerity on his face. You believe him.
  “Now help me gather my things here. There’s been too much noise, too
  many lights coming from this house. I’m afraid the ignorant populace will
  be coming to interfere before too long.” You gather up some bags, and
  then Khan leads you downstairs. “Wait here,” he says. You do, and in a
  couple minutes he returns, with his undead servants behind him carrying
  a large chest.
  “We can go now. Follow me.” He leads your unlikely bunch out the back
  door, and to the edge of the property. Already you can hear voices and
  commotion coming from the front of the house.
  “Maybe we should let the people know about our attacker?” you ask Khan,
  but as you turn to him to get his answer, you see he is already casting
  another spell. You fall instantly into a deep sleep, and know no more…
  You wake up in pain and horror as Alice’s companion, Tolliver, dead and
  still spilling guts out of his abdomen, is leaning over you, and ripping a
  chunk out of your shoulder with a vicious bite! You howl in pain,
  struggling to kick him off, but it’s no use. You’re too injured, too tired,
  and why is your mind so cloudy…?
  Salvation comes in the form of the angry mob. Before Tolliver’s corpse
  can finish you, its head is smashed with a cudgel. Several townsfolk are
  around you now, pulling the zombie off you. As it stumbles, half a dozen
  strong working men strike it repeatedly with clubs, pipes, and tools.
  Tolliver dies a second death, his body completely ruined from the blows.
  “Oy, you’re a lucky one! We got here just in time!” One of the men is
  already applying a makeshift bandage to your shoulder. The townsfolk
  help you to your feet. “What happened here?” one of them asks.
  You struggle to think. You remember! The creature, the body, the snake.
  
  22
  Khan. And… “Alice!” you cry out loud, and race back into the house,
  down the hall, and up the stairs.
  In the room lies Alice’s charred remains. You notice that the homunculus
  has evaporated, and all that is left is a sticky goo where it once laid. Within
  seconds, several of the men are here with you. They wince when they see
  the body, and become nauseous when they smell it.
  “She was brave,” you say. “She deserved better than this. We – I – must
  return her body to her church. It is only right to do that much, at least, for
  one that has given her life in the fight against evil.”
  You pick her up and begin to walk out of the house. As you reach the
  street you notice the men, about a dozen in all, following you. And there
  you walk, a macabre procession honoring the dead, with the still-smol-
  dering corpse of the deceased in your arms.
  Her church is not difficult to find, as it is the largest in town. The doors
  are locked, but the banging by the mob brings the vicar promptly. “What’s
  all that commotion? I’ll hear your confessions in the morning!”
  “Please open up,” you plead. “One of your own has fallen, and we are
  here to deliver her to you so that she may be given a proper burial.”
  There is silence for a moment, and then the noise of someone fiddling
  with a series of door locks. The door opens, and a middle-aged man in
  his nightgown peers out at the crowd. His sharp demeanor gives way to
  sorrow as he sees what you cradle in your arms.
  “Alice…” his voice trails off. He motions for you to come in. The crowd
  does not follow. He asks you to place the body on a table in a private
  chamber, and asks you what happened. You tell the priest, leaving no
  detail out.
  “I thank you for returning Alice to us,” he says. “Although I am sorry to
  hear that poor Tolliver was able to bite you. You likely have the sickness
  now. In a matter of days you will become ill, and it will become worse
  
  23
  until you succumb to the fever. And then you too will rise as one of the
  undead.”
  He reads the horror in your eyes. “Don’t despair. It sounds like this
  Iri-Khan was some sort of necromancer, and such a man would not risk
  contact with the undead without protection from his creations. You say
  you left in a hurry from the house. Maybe he has left something behind
  which can help you. Here, take this.” He hands you two small bottles filled
  with oddly hued liquid. “These are potions of healing. They act just like
  a healing spell cast by a Cleric of our faith. Go home and take one and
  rest for tonight, and tomorrow return to that house. Save the other potion
  for when you might need it! Tell no one of your purpose and bring no one
  with you, for if certain people knew what has bitten you, they’d kill you
  as a precaution before you ever had the chance to save yourself!”
  You thank him for his gift, and his kindness. He thanks you for your
  respect. You leave the church and head home, thinking of everything that
  has happened this night, and thinking what you will face tomorrow…
  Now read ending #2 and pretend that you succeeded in your saving throw.
  Discover what might have happened.
  If you already have read it, skip ahead to the Conclusion.
  Ending #2
  With a quick blast of concentration, you clear the fog in your mind.
  Iri-Khan’s spell fails! You advance on him.
  Make a to-hit roll, and because Khan is unarmored, you only need to roll
  a 10 or higher. If you hit, you deal him a vicious blow and he screams in
  pain! If you miss, he manages to dodge. Either way he then darts past you,
  out the door, and down the stairs. And more stairs… he is going into the
  cellar, where the ghouls are. Following him would probably be unwise,
  as it would then be a three-on-one battle.
  You turn to the body of your fallen ally Alice. You kneel for a moment,
  
  24
  mourning her passing. Downstairs you hear Khan’s voice: “Careful,
  careful! Don’t drop it. Hurry! They’re coming! We have to go!” And then
  you hear a crowd gathering on the street before the house. It sounds like
  Khan won’t be bothering you anymore; he doesn’t want to meet the
  growing mob.
  You gather the things that Khan had left behind. It isn’t much, just a pouch
  of various leaves and animal bits (likely the reagents he uses to help him
  in his foul magic), and a bag full of… ahh! There are some coins, including
  23 pieces of gold, 42 less valuable but most welcome silver coins, and a
  vial of strange liquid. You put those things in your pack, pick up Alice’s
  body, and begin to walk downstairs.
  You find the front door to the house and open it. The gathering crowd
  gasps at the sight of you and your burden. “People! This is Alice, a Cleric
  from our fair town, who has fallen in combat with the foul necromancer
  Iri-Khan! He was just here! Don’t let him get away!” The people mumble
  amongst themselves, organizing a search plan… and then one points at
  you. “Look out! Behind you!”
  You wheel around just in time to stare into the vacant eyes of Alice’s
  companion Tolliver, who minutes ago had laid dead on the floor! Your
  arms full, you can’t defend yourself as the mockery of life surges forward,
  knocking you off your feet. As you land it is already tearing into your
  exposed wrist with its gnashing teeth. Your blood sprays as the zombie
  tears your flesh away, but it can do no more. The mob is there already,
  pulling the creature off you and pummeling it with any implement at hand.
  Its unlife was far shorter than its real life.
  A few of the men are already helping bind your wound. “This looks nasty,
  but I’ve had far worse hunting wolves!” one reassures you. “We need to
  get you to a leech to have this looked at!” They help you up.
  Yet another reminder that none of this would be “automatic” in the full
  game. For purposes of leading you through the basics, forgive us this bit
  of forced plot.
  
  25
  “No,” you say. You pick up Alice’s remains once again. “I – must return
  her body to her church. It is only right to do that much, at least, for one
  that has given her life in the fight against evil.”
  You pick her up, and begin to walk towards the church. Behind you, you
  notice the men, about a dozen in all, following.
  Her church is not difficult to find, as it is the largest in town. The doors
  are locked, but the banging by the mob brings the vicar promptly. “What’s
  all that commotion? I’ll hear your confessions in the morning!”
  “Please open up,” you plead. “One of your own has fallen, and we are
  here to deliver her to you so that she may be given a proper burial.”
  There is silence for a moment, and then the noise of someone fiddling
  with a series of door locks. The door opens, and a middle-aged man in
  his nightgown peers out at the crowd. His sharp demeanor gives way to
  sorrow as he sees what you cradle in your arms.
  “Alice…” his voice trails off. He motions for you to come in. The crowd
  does not follow. He asks you to place the body on a table in a private
  chamber, and asks you what happened. You tell the priest, leaving no
  detail out.
  “I thank you for returning Alice to us,” he says. “Although I am sorry to
  hear that poor Tolliver was able to bite you. You likely have the sickness
  now. In a matter of days you will become ill, and it will become worse
  until you succumb to the fever. And then you too will rise as one of the
  undead.”
  He reads the horror in your eyes.
  “Don’t despair. It sounds like this Iri-Khan was a cowardly fellow, and
  such a man would not risk contact with the undead without protection
  from his creations. You say he left in a hurry from the house. Maybe he
  has left something behind which can help you. Here, take this.” He hands
  you two small bottles filled with oddly hued liquid. “These are potions
  
  26
  of healing. They act just like a healing spell cast by a Cleric of our faith.
  Go home and take one and rest for tonight, and tomorrow return to that
  house. Save the other potion for when you might need it! Tell no one of
  your purpose and bring no one with you, for if certain people knew what
  has bitten you, they’d kill you as a precaution before you ever had the
  chance to save yourself!”
  “Thank you,” you say. “I found another bottle such as those within the
  house. Can you tell me what it is?” You present the vial found among
  Khan’s belongings. The priest takes it from you, unstoppers the container,
  and sniffs a bit. “Hmm. HMMM.” He takes the smallest sip. “Ah! This
  is a powerful potion! It will give you the power of three men if you drink
  it! Haha, I feel like a young man again just from that sip! Yes, this should
  help you in your quest!”
  You thank him for his gift, and his kindness. He thanks you for your
  respect. You leave the church and head for home, thinking of everything
  that has happened this night, and thinking what you will face tomorrow…
  Now read ending #1 and pretend that you failed your saving throw.
  Discover what might have happened.
  If you already have read it, skip ahead to the Conclusion.
  Conclusion
  To reiterate what has been noted several times, this did not give you the
  full experience of playing the game. If this were the “real thing,” many
  things would have been different:
  - You could have gone anywhere in the house you wanted to go, in the
  order you wanted to go.
  - Nobody would have told you what your character does or what your
  character feels or agrees to.
  - You would not have had to team up with or listen to Alice at all, unless
  you really wanted to.
  - There would have been no predetermined ending –Tolliver might not
  
  27
  have bitten you.
  - Perhaps you would have been slain in one of your several fights.
  Maybe even the first fight!
  - Maybe you would have slain or captured Iri-Khan.
  - You would have been playing with real people and negotiating the
  features of the game verbally, rather than reading static descriptions
  from a book.
  Playing the full game, the possibilities are limitless. This time the action
  was restricted because, right now, you’re learning. Your next game will
  give you greater freedom of choice, and greater responsibility for those
  choices. But first, there is more that you need to know.
  
  28
  The Second Adventure
  This adventure will work differently than the first. Start at the beginning,
  and rather than reading straight through, follow the instructions in each
  section on where to read next.
  Here is some additional information you need to know about playing this
  adventure:
  Combat
  Combat will be a bit more complicated in this adventure. When you need
  to fight, there will be a description of combat information in the section
  that looks like this:
  Monster’s Name
  Hit Points:
  Roll Needed to Hit Them:
  Roll Needed to Hit You:
  Damage:
  When combat begins, every round you will roll a d6 for you and for the
  monster. Whoever rolls highest gets to attack first, and after that strike is
  resolved, the other will attempt to attack. Then, with the round ended, you
  will roll d6 for the both of you again and repeat as long as the combat
  lasts.
  The “Roll Needed to Hit Them” is what you need to roll on a d20 in order
  to inflict damage on your round. When you do hit, since you are using a
  sword, you will roll a d8 to determine how much damage you do.
  When you do inflict damage, you subtract the damage done from the “Hit
  Points” listed. If the Hit Points are reduced to 0 or less, you win the
  combat! If there is more than one opponent, then you must bring both
  opponents down to 0 hit points, and you must decide which opponent you
  are attacking that round. You may not split damage you inflict between
  more than one opponent in a round!
  
  29
  The “Roll Needed to Hit You” is what the monsters will need to roll on
  a d20 to hit you. You will make these rolls on behalf of your enemies (no
  cheating!). If your opponent succeeds with the roll, you will then need to
  roll the amount listed under “Damage” and subtract that from your own
  hit points. If you are facing more than one opponent, they both have a
  chance to hit you and inflict damage on their turn! If your hit points fall
  to 0 or less, you lose the combat.
  Record Keeping
  Keep a record of the monsters you defeat and the treasure you recover.
  Experience will be awarded if you survive the adventure!
  Mapping
  There are a number of different locations in this adventure, and your life
  could depend on you remembering where they all are! Every room
  description will also include a map of the room. Use graph paper to make
  your personal map, and add every new room to your map as your explore.
  At the end of the adventure you can compare your map to the real one to
  discover if you mapped correctly.
  Turn Counter
  For this adventure, you will need to keep track of time. On a scratch sheet
  of paper, make a “Turn Counter” for yourself. It will begin at 0. At various
  points during the adventure, you will be told to advance the turn counter.
  Simply keep track of the current total, and if you reach certain numbers
  the adventure will instruct you what to do.
  In the full game, the game Referee will be keeping track of all game time,
  including turns, so you would not have to do this. However, since there
  is no Referee, and to reinforce the importance of keeping track of time,
  we use this method for the tutorial.
  
  30
  Plot Points
  Adventuring locations are not static locations, and things will change as
  you go from room to room. The “Plot Point” system is something used
  just in this tutorial adventure to keep track of such changes. When the
  adventure tells you that you gain a Plot Point, simply write it down. The
  adventure will prompt you what to do in certain locations when you have
  particular Plot Points.
  Other Notes
  After your last adventure, you were given two healing potions by the
  priest. You used one to heal yesterday’s injuries before retiring to bed,
  and now you have one left. At any time, you may drink the healing potion.
  When you do that, remember the entry you are on and read entry 19. If
  you are in combat and choose to drink a healing potion, you do that instead
  of attacking that round.
  If you “won” the first adventure, then you will also have the other potion
  you found in Iri-Khan’s belongings. This is only useful in combat. If you
  drink this potion, remember your current entry and read entry 88 to
  discover its effects. Drinking the potion is also something you do instead
  of attacking for the round.
  The Start
  Time is running out! Having been bitten by the walking dead, you must
  search the old mansion in hopes that Iri-Khan had kept a cure somewhere
  inside.
  You’re carrying a minimum of equipment. You still have your mail armor
  This is another thing the Referee would keep track of in a full game.
  The full game would have no restrictions on when you could use such
  an item.
  
  31
  and your sword, but in all the excitement of the previous night’s events,
  you’ve lost your lantern, and now carry a torch. You have a backpack,
  just in case you find anything worth keeping, but your main mission is to
  find a cure for the bite.
  You guess that something important is in the basement. There were guards
  there, and Iri-Khan was anxious to remove items from that area.
  As night falls and you can again sneak onto the property, you go around
  back. The cellar doors in the rear of the property are not locked this time.
  You light your torch and descend down the stairs, wondering if this is the
  final night of your life…
  
  32
  1
  This room is a mess. With the south stairs leading up to the surface, this
  became the most convenient place to throw all the junk needed to maintain
  the estate grounds. And somewhere along the line, somebody stopped
  caring about the appearance and organization of the storage. The many
  years that have passed since people used any of these tools hasn’t helped.
  So there are a lot of miscellaneous gardening tools, lumber, crates, boxes,
  and just a ton of refuse that can’t be of use to anyone anymore.
  Passageways lead to the north, east, and west, and of course to the south
  the stairs lead back up to the surface.
  Reference Map I for this room.
  If you listen for noises down the passages, go to 21.
  If you search the room, go to 23.
  If you go down the east passage, go to 109.
  If you go down the west passage, go to 82.
  If you go down the north passage, go to 115.
  If you go up the stairs to the south and leave the area, go to 87.
  
  33
  2
  You search through the old junk, and in a box you find a small pouch.
  You empty out the pouch on the ground and a bunch of small rocks are
  revealed… and among them, a small gemstone! You estimate its worth
  at about 10gp. Not a rich find, but a welcome one nonetheless. You pocket
  the gem.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 1 and choose again.
  3
  You stand still and listen for a moment. To the north you hear what sounds
  like a human voice, muttering, or perhaps chanting. To the east, you hear
  scratching and skittering about. Sounds like the basement has vermin.
  Return to 1 and choose again.
  4
  This room looks to be some sort of art storage room, but unfortunately
  all the artwork looks to have been destroyed. Frames are knocked loose,
  canvas torn, drop-cloths scattered about. You see the transient’s former
  “nest” as well.
  There are doors to the east and west, and a passage leading south.
  If you search the room, go to 60.
  If you search the room for secret doors, go to 74.
  If you listen at the east door, go to 133.
  If you listen at the west door, go to 92.
  If you go through the east door, go to 41.
  If you go to the west door, go to 82.
  If you go down the south passage, go to 57.
  
  34
  5
  You stand still and listen for a moment. To the east you hear scratching
  and skittering about. Sounds like the basement has vermin.
  Return to 1 and choose again.
  6
  To determine the results of your search of the closet, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 or a 2, go to 79.
  If you roll a 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 51.
  7
  Have you gained Plot Point A?
  If so, go to 4.
  If not, go to 84.
  8
  Despite your best efforts, you hear nothing.
  Return to 4 and choose again.
  9
  You spend several minutes searching the walls, but you find no secret
  doors in this room.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 4 and choose again.
  
  35
  10
  You press your ear to the door to listen. Roll d6.
  If you roll a 1, go to 114.
  If you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 65.
  11
  You leave the cellar and the property of the old mansion. After a short
  time, you realize that something is happening! You feel the change
  starting… you are turning into… into… an undead thing!
  But no! You had mixed and drank the cure for your affliction! The zombie
  change stops!
  You are cured, free and clear to live and explore and adventure again!
  Go to 149.
  12
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 4 and choose again.
  13
  How embarrassing! The creature has destroyed all of the metallic gear
  and valuables that you had on you. But it seems the monster has stopped
  at that, and has no more interest in you.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, go to 67.
  14
  The man seems pleased to meet you. He introduces himself as Argyle,
  and says he’s fallen on hard times so has taken to squatting in abandoned
  buildings. He says a haunted mansion wasn’t his first choice, but here the
  
  36
  authorities don’t hassle him. He occasionally has to avoid a mean man
  that wanders around, but that’s not so difficult.
  He warns you that a fearsome monster guards the room beyond the west
  door in the west wall, and says you shouldn’t go there. He says through
  the door to the east is a laboratory, and that he hasn’t dared to disturb
  anything there for fear of being discovered and turned into a newt! He
  also says there are rats in the furniture storage room, but if you don’t
  bother them, they won’t bother you.
  He sees that you have business beyond talking to old farts, so he says he’ll
  find someplace else to stay the night. He bids you farewell and wanders
  off to the south.
  Gain Plot Point A.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 35.
  If not, go to 4.
  15
  You carefully pour some of the yellow liquid into a fresh beaker. Taking
  the bottle of clear liquid, you add a single drop. It sizzles on contact with
  the yellow liquid, and there is a sweet honey smell in the air now. This
  seems fine. You pour more of the clear liquid in.
  You don’t have time for another thought as the mixture explodes. You
  are immediately thrown back and witness each of the bottles boil and
  explode, in what looks to you like slow motion. The air in the room ignites
  and as you see the fireball swell towards you, you notice half a body laying
  in front of the workbench. That’s your lower half. You weren’t just thrown
  back across the room, then. Not all of you, anyway. It doesn’t hurt as
  much as you’d think, and you fade into unconsciousness as the warm,
  comfortable fire consumes you…
  Your adventure has ended. Go to 149.
  
  37
  16
  This is a loaded and cluttered closet, with all sorts of jackets and overcoats
  stuffed onto hangers. Shoes and small boxes cover the floor, and even
  more boxes are piled on a shelf above the hangers. Everything has
  obviously been here for quite some time, as the clothing is long out of
  fashion (not to mention moth-eaten) and there are cobwebs choking the
  place. It’s so crowded and disorganized that you wonder if the old owners
  of the house ever had any sort of housekeeping help.
  Reference Map IX for this room.
  If you search the room, go to 6.
  If you go back to the hallway to the west, go to 82.
  17
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 134 and choose again.
  18
  Drinking the blue liquid, you feel tingly, like all of your body has just
  fallen asleep. It passes after a moment, and you feel much the same as
  before.
  You gain Plot Point H.
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  
  38
  19
  You drink the healing potion, and you immediately feel your wounds
  close and your bruises heal. Your hit points are now at their maximum
  level once again!
  Return to the entry you were at before drinking the potion.
  20
  The poor filthy fellow now lies dead at your feet. You rifle through his
  rags, just in case he had found something in his stay here, but he has
  nothing of value. And nothing that doesn’t stink. You can take his dagger
  if you’d like.
  You gain Plot Point A.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, go to 4.
  21
  You quiet down and attempt to hear. Roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1, go to 25.
  If you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 100.
  22
  The strange roach creature has been slain and it will disturb you no further.
  Gain Plot Point F.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, go to 67.
  
  39
  23
  To determine the results of your search of the room, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 or 2, go to 2.
  If you roll a 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 32.
  24
  To determine the results of your search for secret doors (aside from the
  one on the south wall you already know about, of course), roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 or 2, go to 119.
  If you roll a 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 46.
  25
  Do you have Plot Points A and D? Go to 100.
  Do you have Plot Point A but not D? Go to 5.
  Do you have Plot Point D but not A? Go to 125.
  Do you have neither Plot Points A or D? Go to 3.
  26
  Do you have Plot Point B?
  If so, go to 86.
  If not, go to 121.
  27
  To determine the results of your search, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 or 2, go to 140.
  If you roll a 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 135.
  
  40
  28
  You press your ear against the south door. Roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 and do not have Plot Point D, go to 141.
  If you roll 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, or have Plot Point D, go to 126.
  29
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 82 and choose again.
  30
  You hear incoherent mumbling through the door.
  Return to 82 and choose again.
  31
  You find nothing hidden among the stacks of furniture.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 33 and choose again.
  32
  You find nothing useful, valuable, or relevant.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 1 and choose again.
  
  41
  33
  This is where the unneeded furniture for the mansion must have been
  stored. Old-fashioned, well-crafted, heavy furniture of all types is stacked
  here. It would actually be quite valuable if it wasn’t all chewed up and
  generally wrecked.
  There is a door in the north wall and a passage to the west.
  Reference Map II for this room.
  If you search this room and have Plot Point D, go to 45.
  If you search this room and do not have Plot Point D, go to 95.
  If you search this room for secret doors, go to 112.
  If you listen at the north door, go to 10.
  If you go down the west passage, go to 43.
  If you go through the north door, go to 134.
  34
  As you step out into the moonlight, your vision becomes blurry. Your
  legs are so heavy... You stumble onto the street and try to get home. But
  you can’t. You manage to make it to the steps in front of a shop and lean
  on the railing. Why are you so dizzy? A woman and her young child, well
  dressed and out for their evening walk about town, come around the
  corner. The woman seems to say something (but you can’t hear it) and
  rushes to you. You do your best to raise your head to greet her. And she
  screams. Your hand, your hand, oozing and spotted, grabs the woman by
  the arm, and you sink your teeth into her hand, all the while feeling as if
  you are but an observer, and not a participant in these events. The last
  thoughts you have before the darkness takes you is your view of the young
  child, horrified, as you consume the flesh of his mother before his eyes.
  
  42
  Your adventure has ended. Go to 149.
  35
  You twitch violently, for no reason. Pain shoots from your gut to every
  extremity. You fall to your knees. Argyle rushes back to the room, looking
  concerned. He says something, but you cannot hear him. He reaches out
  to help you up, and you snatch his hand without realizing you are doing
  it. Your horror increases as your body rises and you lunge at Argyle, biting
  a chunk of his face off. Your body is no longer in your control. Is this
  what death is like? Retaining consciousness, being a passive observer in
  an unresponsive body? But your body has transformed into an undead
  thing, and you can do nothing but silently scream and frantically pray for
  the mercy of oblivion as you see “yourself” rip Argyle apart, feel the spray
  of hot blood upon “your” skin, and taste the internal organs of a fellow
  man…
  Your adventure has ended. Go to 149.
  36
  Your hear nothing.
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  37
  The unnatural thing has overcome you. The only consolation to you as it
  delivers the fatal blow is that its talons, and its teeth, somehow have a
  numbing effect. You do not feel pain so much as just inconvenient
  pressure as it proceeds to feast upon you. Unfortunately, it seems to find
  extremities far more palatable than vitals, and it takes you far longer to
  expire than you would prefer.
  Your adventure has ended. Go to 149.
  38
  You press your ear against the west door. Roll a d6.
  
  43
  If you roll a 1 and do not have Plot Point A, go to 68.
  If you roll 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, or have Plot Point A, go to 36.
  39
  Do you have Plot Point F?
  If so, go to 67.
  If not, go to 101.
  40
  Unfortunately the effect of the orange mixture is not minor, and you feel
  your stomach burst. Your only consolation is that the intense agony does
  not last so terribly long…
  Your adventure has ended. Go to 149.
  41
  The smell hits you before the sight. This room, whatever it once was, is
  now a macabre laboratory. In one end of the room is a workbench with a
  full alchemical apparatus. Rows of glass beakers stand on the table. They
  are mostly empty, but the four biggest are each filled with different colored
  liquids. One is red, one blue, one yellow, and one is clear, but definitely
  not water. Water doesn’t move around on its own quite like that.
  This wouldn’t be so disconcerting except that on the other side of the
  room is a stone slab, upon which lays a naked cadaver. Its head is tilted
  to one side, so it appears to be looking at the workbench.
  There are doors to the north and south, and down a short hallway to the
  west is another door.
  Reference Map IV for this room.
  
  44
  If you inspect the cadaver, go to 73.
  If you search for secret doors, go to 72.
  If you listen at the south door, go to 137.
  If you listen at the west door, go to 38.
  If you listen at the north door, go to 48.
  If you drink the red liquid, go to 90.
  If you drink the blue liquid, go to 18.
  If you drink the yellow liquid, go to 107.
  If you drink the clear liquid, go to 61.
  If you mix the red and blue liquids together and drink the mixture, go to
  108.
  If you mix the red and yellow liquids together and drink the mixture, go
  to 52.
  If you mix the red and clear liquids together and drink the mixture, go to
  44.
  If you mix the blue and yellow liquids together and drink the mixture, go
  to 71.
  If you mix the blue and clear liquids together and drink the mixture, go
  to 124.
  If you mix the yellow and clear liquids together and drink the mixture,
  go to 15.
  If you go through the south door, go to 134.
  If you go through the west door, go to 7.
  If you go through the north door, go to 39.
  42
  The old man becomes instantly and inexplicably angry and attacks you!
  Go to 113.
  43
  You travel west down the short passage. Go to 1.
  This room gives you the closest hint of what the full game is like and
  having the ability to do anything at any particular time.
  
  45
  44
  You mix the red and clear liquids together, and it forms a pink mixture
  that smells like roses. You raise the beaker to your lips and take a sip.
  It tastes awful, even as its scent continues to please. You can tell that you
  have ingested a foul poison! But how much? Roll a d20.
  If you roll a 12 or higher, then you did not ingest enough to truly harm
  you. Return to 41.
  If you rolled 11 or less, go to 49.
  45
  You find nothing among the furniture. Apparently the rats had not hidden
  away anything of value.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 33 and choose again.
  46
  Your find no additional secret doors within the secret room.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 122 and choose again.
  47
  You have run out of time! You feel the change happening… you are
  turning into… into… an undead thing!
  Do you have Plot Point E?
  If so, go to 58.
  If not, go to 123.
  
  46
  48
  You listen at the north door. Roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 and do not have Plot Point F, go to 62.
  If you roll 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, or have Plot Point F, go to 89.
  49
  The poison overcomes you. The end is mercifully swift and relatively
  painless. Your body will be found, some weeks later, with dried rose-
  colored foam around your mouth, nostrils, eyes, and ears.
  Your adventure has ended. Go to 149.
  50
  The old guy wants to talk to you!
  Go to 75, and add 1 to the roll you will make there.
  51
  Your search bears fruit: you have found a rough map of the basement that
  reveals the location of a secret door (see map XI)!
  Gain Plot Point C.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 16 and choose again.
  
  47
  52
  You mix the red and yellow liquids together, forming a bubbling orange
  mixture. Bottoms up!
  Agh! It burns! This was not a good idea. Take d6 hit points damage as if
  you were hit by a monster.
  If your hit points are 0 or lower, go to 40.
  Otherwise, return to 41 and choose again.
  53
  The man gets an angry look on his face, and begins to hoot, then stares
  at the ground and screams, “You bastard! You unbelievable bastard! You
  too! You’ll never get away with this! It’s mine! MINE!” His momentary
  and venomous glances towards you make you unsure whether he’s yelling
  at you or his feet.
  He settles down again.
  Return to 84 and choose again.
  54
  In your rush to find useful information, you are frightened that you are
  missing key documents among the pile. But what choice do you have?
  Any minute now, you could transform into a hideous undead creature!
  But you think you have found something! Notes talking about transform-
  ing humans to corpses and back. This is it! Apparently there is a reagent
  called Polyxidone, that appears blue in color, which must be added to a
  yellow liquid taken from the glands of giant squid.
  Do you know where the lab is?
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  
  48
  If not, return to 122 and choose again.
  55
  Going up the stairs, you realize you’re on the ground floor of the mansion.
  You’ve been around here already, and you know there’s no cure here!
  Return down the stairs to 86 and choose again.
  56
  You hear nothing. Return to 82 and choose again.
  57
  You go south along the corridor.
  Go to 1.
  58
  Salvation! You have mixed and drank the cure for your affliction! The
  zombie change stops!
  If you would like to continue exploring, return to the entry that asked you
  to add to your turn counter.
  If you’d like to consider this enough of a victory and exit the basement
  of the house, then your adventure is over and you have won! Go to 149.
  59
  You find no secret doors in this room.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 67 and choose again.
  
  49
  60
  You search amongst the ripped and broken artwork, hoping to find
  something of value or use.
  Roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 or 2, go to 64.
  If you roll a 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 118.
  61
  You drink the clear liquid. It tastes somewhat like the feeling you had as
  a child when you lied to your mother about a bit of mischief you had done.
  You feel faint and promptly pass out. You wake up sometime later.
  Gain Plot Point J.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 41 and choose again.
  62
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 41.
  63
  To see if your search for secret doors in the hallway succeeds, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 or 2, go to 142.
  If you roll a 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 144.
  
  50
  64
  You find nothing of value, or really intact at all, amongst the piles of
  ruined artwork.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 4 and choose again.
  65
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 33 and choose again.
  66
  To see if your search for secret doors in the room succeeds, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 or a 2, go to 148.
  If you roll a 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 9.
  67
  If you carry or possess any metal items and do not have Plot Point F, go
  to 101 instead of reading this entry.
  This room is filled with bookshelves. Large, small, tall, short, narrow,
  wide. Stacked to the ceiling, stacked four or five deep from the walls. All
  made of solid wood. They’ve been knocked around pretty good, so they’d
  need some repair, but they aren’t in as bad condition as other stored items
  in the place have been.
  Reference Map V for this room.
  If you search the room, go to 27.
  If you search for secret doors, go to 81.
  If you return through the south door to the lab, go to 41.
  
  51
  68
  You hear a muffled voices, perhaps incoherent mumbling, coming from
  the other side of the door.
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  69
  Your search finds a loose flagstone in the floor! Lifting it, you see that a
  small pouch has been stuffed into a space in the floor. It contains 84 gold
  coins! You pocket them.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 86 and choose again
  70
  You hear nothing through the door.
  Return to 134 and choose again.
  71
  You mix the blue and yellow liquids in an empty beaker. The result is the
  consistency of porridge, pale green and bubbling, even though it is not
  hot. You take a deep breath and then swallow the stuff.
  You are momentarily dizzy, and then you realize you must have fallen.
  No, something is wrong! You see yourself lying on the floor before the
  workbench, green liquid about your chin and on the floor around the
  shattered beaker. But you’re looking at yourself from outside your body!
  It takes a moment but you realize from your point of view you must be
  seeing through the eyes of the corpse on the slab! You try to move but
  cannot. Time passes, and you see your torch burn low on the ground. Your
  body begins to twitch. Your body begins to stand, albeit stiffly. You see
  that the exposed skin has become shriveled, and has oozing sores. Your
  
  52
  body turns to face you… and its face is dead!
  The transformation begun by the bite is complete! You, or more accurately
  your body, has become an animated undead corpse! You struggle once
  again to move, desperately now, but to no avail. Your deceased yet
  ambulant body shambles over to the shell your consciousness now
  inhabits. “It” sniffs “you.” When it takes its first bite (of quite many), you
  realize that you not only are able to see out of this body, but you can feel
  everything that happens to it. In the instant before your mind shatters, you
  beg to be taken to hell, for its tortures surely cannot be any worse than
  this.
  Your adventure has ended. Go to 149.
  72
  To determine if your search for secret doors in the lab succeeds, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 or 2, go to 76.
  If you roll a 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 80.
  73
  This being a necromancer’s hideout, it’s only natural to make sure that
  any body you find isn’t going to get up and kill you. You’ve been bitten
  by enough zombies!
  You approach the body carefully. You wave your hand in front of its face.
  No reaction. You take your sword and you poke it a few times. Deep
  enough to have inflicted a fatal wound if it was a living body. No reaction.
  OK. You’re safe enough then.
  You hope.
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  
  53
  74
  Do you have Plot Point C?
  If so, go to 139.
  If not, go to 66.
  75
  You attempt to engage the transient in conversation.
  Roll 2d6.
  If you roll 2, go to 83.
  If you roll 3, 4, or 5, go to 14.
  If you roll 6, 7, or 8, go to 143.
  If you roll 9, 10, or 11, go to 98.
  If you roll 12, go to 117.
  76
  You find no secret doors.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 41 and choose again.
  77
  You find no secret doors.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 67 and choose again.
  
  54
  78
  You hear scratching and groaning coming from the other side of the door.
  Return to 82 and choose again.
  79
  Your search is successful! You discover a rough map of the basement
  (see Map XI) revealing a secret door in one of the rooms! You also find,
  hidden deep in the pockets of a jacket hanging up, a small silver ring,
  worth perhaps 25gp. You take it.
  Gain Plot Point C.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 16 and choose again.
  80
  You find no secret doors in the lab.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 41 and choose again.
  81
  To determine if you find any secret doors in this room, roll d6.
  If you roll a 1 or 2, go to 77.
  If you roll 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 59.
  
  55
  82
  You are in a long hallway that forms a horseshoe from north to south.
  There are two doors opposite one another in the middle of the hallway, a
  door around the north corner, and an open hallway that continues around
  the southern corner.
  Reference Map VIII for this location.
  If you search for secret doors, go to 63.
  If you listen at the door around the corner to the north, go to 111.
  If you listen at the western door in the middle of the hall, go to 128.
  If you listen at the eastern door in the middle of the hall, go to 105.
  If you go east around the southern corner, go to 1.
  If you go through the door around the northern corner, go to 136.
  If you go through the western door in the middle of the hallway, go to 26.
  If you go through the eastern door in the middle of the hallway, go to 16.
  83
  The man seems overwhelmed to meet you. “I’ve heard of you! You’re
  that young ‘un who’s trying to make a name and become some sort of
  famous explorer? Excellent! I’ve heard the folks around town talking
  about you. Mighty pleased to meet ya!”
  He introduces himself as Argyle, and says he’s fallen on hard times so
  has taken to squatting in abandoned buildings. He says a haunted mansion
  
  56
  wasn’t his first choice, but here the authorities don’t hassle him. He
  occasionally has to avoid a mean man that wanders around, but that’s not
  so difficult.
  He warns you that a fearsome monster guards the room beyond the west
  door in the west wall, and says you shouldn’t go there. He says through
  the door to the east is a laboratory, and that he hasn’t dared to disturb
  anything there for fear of being discovered and turned into a newt! He
  also says there are rats in the furniture storage room, but if you don’t
  bother them, they won’t bother you.
  “Ah, but you’re lookin’ fer something! Let me tell you, I was rifling
  through a closet looking for something warm to wear, and I found
  something that looked like a map! Now good old Argyle doesn’t need
  any maps, but you might! Yes! It’s in the closet, down that hall to the
  west!”
  Noting that he’s just an old fool and in need of rest, he figures he needs
  to go someplace else for the night in order to not get in your way. He bids
  you farewell and wanders off to the south.
  Gain Plot Point A.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 35.
  If not, go to 4.
  84
  This room looks to be some sort of art storage room, but unfortunately
  all the artwork appears to have been destroyed. Frames are knocked loose,
  canvas torn, drop-cloths scattered about. And in the middle of the north
  wall is an old man laying among a makeshift bed. He looks to be a street
  person, a bum, a transient. He sees you and shields his eyes from your
  torchlight. He flashes a big smile full or rotten teeth as he stands.
  The man is looking at you. What do you do?
  
  57
  (Reference Map VI for this room.)
  If you talk to him, go to 75.
  If you attack him, go to 113.
  If you wait to see what he does, go to 91.
  If you want to leave the room, go to 99.
  85
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  86
  This now-cleared room is bare of furniture or any notable features. Its
  stone construction has seen better days, as the stone blocks in the walls
  and on the floor are chipped in many places. Minor debris is scattered
  here and there in the room.
  If you search the room, go to 147.
  If you go up the stairs, go to 55.
  If you return through the east door, go to 82.
  
  58
  87
  You are leaving the mansion’s basement. Are you sure you want to do
  that?
  If you want to remain in the basement, return to 1.
  If you want to go up the stairs and leave the basement, and have Plot Point
  E, go to 11.
  If you want to go up the stairs and leave the basement, and do not have
  Plot Point E, go to 34.
  88
  You drink the potion, and you feel miraculously stronger and more skilled!
  Add 15 to your current hit points, and for the rest of this combat add 3 to
  all of your rolls to hit.
  At the end of the combat, the bonus to hit disappears. If your hit points
  are still above your normal maximum at the end of the combat, then they
  drop to your normal maximum. If your current hit points are lower than
  your maximum, then your current hit points will not change.
  Return to the combat you were engaged in.
  89
  You hear skittering and scratching.
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  90
  You drink the red liquid. You feel light-headed and dizzy for a moment,
  but it soon passes.
  You gain Plot Point G.
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  
  59
  91
  To determine what the filthy old man does, roll 2d6.
  If you roll 2, go to 94.
  If you roll 3, 4, or 5, go to 50.
  If you roll 6, 7, or 8, go to 103.
  If you roll 9, 10, or 11, go to 53.
  If you roll 12, go to 42.
  92
  To determine if you hear anything through the west door, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1, go to 146.
  If you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 8.
  93
  You go through the door.
  Go to 33.
  94
  “I haven’t talked to anyone all day!,” the man says.
  Go to 75, and add +2 to the roll you will make there.
  95
  As you move some furniture out of the way and begin your search, you
  hear a shrill squeak and see evil glowing eyes… two sets! Two giant rats
  use this room as a nest, and you have disturbed them! They move to attack
  you!
  You are now engaged in combat! Here is the information about your
  opponents:
  Giant Rats
  Hit Points: 3, 4
  Roll Needed to Hit Them: 10
  
  60
  Roll Needed to Hit You: 16
  Damage: d4
  If you win the combat, go to 138.
  If you lose the combat, go to 131.
  96
  Whew! It was a bad situation, but you have overcome the ghoul. You
  have the opportunity to look at your surroundings.
  Reference Map X for this room.
  Gain Plot Point B.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, go to 86.
  97
  You search and search through the documents, but there are so many of
  them! You’re having trouble making heads or tails of what you’re reading.
  It’s all formulas and equations and theories and philosophies concerning
  alchemy. There’s still more to search through though.
  
  61
  Add 2 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10 or greater, go to 47.
  If not, return to 122 and choose again.
  98
  The man seems angry. “Can’t a man get any rest without some dang fool
  bothering him? A pox on you! A pox on your house! Lousy son of a…
  grrr, no respect. No respect these days! I’m going to find a better place to
  crash in! Good day, blackguard!”
  He storms off to the south.
  Gain Plot Point A.
  Go to 4.
  99
  As you go about your business, the transient gets an annoyed look on his
  face. He hops up and down, waving his arms like a lunatic. “I’m right
  here! Don’t you dare ignore me!”
  It seems you must deal with him in one way or another.
  Return to 84 and choose again.
  100
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 1 and choose again.
  101
  As you go through the door, you see a creature about the size of a large
  dog. It looks something like a giant cockroach with tentacles where its
  antennae should be. It charges at you!
  
  62
  You are now engaged in combat! Here is the information about your
  opponent:
  Tentacle Bug
  Hit Points: 19
  Roll Needed to Hit It: 13
  Roll Needed to Hit You: 11
  Damage: Special
  Whenever the monster hits you, it does not inflict any actual damage
  against your hit points. Instead, its special powers will destroy an item
  that you carry as its tentacles touch it. Your items will be devoured in this
  order:
  - Your chain armor. From this point forward, all opponents will get a
  +4 bonus to their roll to hit you.
  - Your sword. From this point forward, you can only attack using your
  torch as a club (d3 damage). Or you can use a dagger if you’ve picked
  one up (d4 damage).
  - The dagger if you’ve picked one up.
  - Any treasure in the form of gold or coins you’ve collected.
  If you lose all of your metal items, the creature will lose interest in you.
  It can’t actually harm you, so if at that point you want to beat it to death
  with your torch, you automatically win the combat. But that would just
  be mean, wouldn’t it? If you just give up the fight after all your metal
  equipment is destroyed, you lose the fight.
  If you win the combat, go to 22.
  If you lose the combat, go to 13.
  
  63
  102
  You start rifling through the documents on the desk. Roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 or 2, go to 130.
  If you roll a 3 or 4, go to 145.
  If you roll a 5, go to 97.
  If you roll a 6, go to 54.
  103
  “Say there, mind if we talk a bit?” he says to you.
  Go to 75.
  104
  You hear nothing.
  Go to 4.
  105
  To determine if you hear anything at the door, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1, go to 29.
  If you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 106.
  106
  You hear nothing.
  Go to 82.
  107
  You drink the yellow liquid. It tastes rather foul! Your vision goes blurry,
  and then you realize you are no longer seeing in color! Luckily, it passes
  quickly.
  You gain Plot Point I.
  
  64
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  108
  You mix the red and blue liquids, forming a truly disgusting purple goo.
  Ah well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, so you suck down the paste
  as quickly as possible.
  This mixture is a healing potion! All your wounds are healed! Your hit
  points are restored to their normal maximum value.
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  109
  You travel east down the hall.
  Go to 33.
  110
  To determine if you hear anything through the door to the north, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1, go to 70.
  If you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 17.
  111
  To determine if you hear anything through the door, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 and do not have Plot Point A, go to 30.
  If you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, or have Plot Point A, go to 56.
  112
  Do you have Plot Point D? If not, go to 95.
  If you do have Plot Point D, roll a d6.
  If you roll 1 or 2, go to 31.
  
  65
  If you roll 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 129.
  113
  You are now in mortal combat with the old man! He moves around like
  a crazy person, and is quicker and more cunning than you would have
  thought. The dagger he carries also means that he is capable of delivering
  a killing blow.
  Here is the information about your opponent:
  Weird Old Man
  Hit Points: 4
  Roll Needed to Hit Him: 10
  Roll Needed to Hit You: 16
  Damage: d4
  If you win the combat, go to 20.
  If you lose the combat, go to 120.
  114
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 33 and choose again.
  115
  You travel north through the hallway.
  Do you have Plot Point A?
  If so, go to 4.
  If not, go to 84.
  116
  You find nothing.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  
  66
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 86 and choose again.
  117
  The old man twitches violently, gives a bit of a howl… and then pulls a
  dagger from his raggedy clothing and attacks you!
  Go to 113.
  118
  You find nothing.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 4 and choose again.
  119
  You find nothing.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 122 and choose again.
  120
  Are you serious? You’ve been defeated by a bum? What kind of
  adventurer did you think you are?
  It is highly suggested that you never tell anybody about this. Trust the
  game book here. It would be embarrassing if anyone found out.
  Your adventure is (mercifully) over. Go to 149.
  
  67
  121
  As you open the door, a clawed hand reaches out from the room beyond!
  It seems that Iri-Khan has left behind one of his ghoulish guards! You are
  now in for the fight of your life!
  You are now engaged in combat! Here is the information about your
  opponent:
  Ghoul
  Hit Points: 10
  Roll Needed to Hit It: 10
  Roll Needed to Hit You: 14
  Damage: d6
  Every time the ghoul hits you, you must make a saving throw versus its
  terrifying paralyzation. To do that, roll a d20 whenever you are hit. If you
  roll 14 or greater, nothing further happens and you continue the combat
  as usual. If you roll a 13 or less, then you are paralyzed – the combat
  immediately ends and you lose. The stakes are high, the opponent is
  fearsome!
  If you win the combat, go to 96.
  If you lose the combat, go to 37.
  
  68
  122
  This secret room looks to be some sort of study. Books, papers, and scrolls
  are piled on a desk against the wall, and a small bookshelf beside the desk
  is likewise packed.
  Reference Map VII for this room.
  If you search through the documents, go to 102.
  If you search for secret doors, go to 24.
  If you return to the secret door to the south, go to 4.
  123
  You notice you’re sweating profusely. Your heart is beating rather
  quickly. Then you must squeeze your eyes tightly shut as they feel as if
  salt was thrown in them.
  You realize that your time has run out.
  A tingle rolls over your flesh like a gentle wave. Your body convulses,
  just once, but violent enough to send you to your knees. You vomit, and
  by the light of the torch now laying beside you, you see that not only is
  it bloody, but it’s rather chunky.
  Another convulsion sends you forward, and your face smashes into the
  stone floor. You grab your face instinctively and can feel that it’s no longer
  whole – it’s broken in several places. It’s your hands that give you this
  information, moving bone fragments around with your fingers. You can’t
  actually feel anything directly from your face.
  
  69
  And then you can’t notice your heartbeat anymore. You check your pulse.
  Nothing.
  Your thoughts scatter. Everything that was you shuts down, bit by bit,
  piece by piece.
  By the time your body stands back up and starts to wander once again,
  you are no longer in it.
  Your adventure is over. Go to 149.
  124
  You mix the blue and clear liquids in a separate beaker, and quickly gulp
  it down, half-expecting it to be acid which will eat straight through you,
  and possibly the floor below.
  But nothing happens. Hmm.
  Gain Plot Point E.
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  125
  You hear incoherent mumbling to the north.
  Return to 1 and choose again.
  126
  You hear scratching and skittering.
  Return to 134 and choose again.
  127
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 82 and choose again.
  
  70
  128
  To determine if you hear anything through the door, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1 and do not have Plot Point B, go to 78.
  If you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 or have Plot Point B, go to 127.
  129
  You find nothing.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 33 and choose again.
  130
  You have a stroke of luck and manage to find, in a short amount of time,
  several documents that look to be of great use:
  One scroll has a great amount of writing which you can’t decipher. It’s
  not written in any language you recognize. This might be a magical scroll
  that would be useful to Magic-Users! You stuff it in your pack, hoping
  to either sell it later or trade it to a mage in exchange for something you
  could actually use.
  One journal details how the combination of yellow squid extract and the
  blue chemical called Polyxidone is a dead end for research. The mixture
  was supposed to animate corpses, but it can’t be made to work, and simply
  puts anyone drinking it into a permanent coma.
  And you have hit the jackpot! Necromancers must take precautions since
  they deal with the undead on a regular basis, and sure enough it looks like
  Iri-Khan had a formula to save himself if ever he was bitten by a zombie
  who would not obey his commands. Simply mix the blue and clear liquids
  found in the lab, and that will cure you! Now where’s the lab?
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  
  71
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 122 and choose again.
  131
  Giant rats are often thought of as the weakest of foes by many adventurers,
  but as you’ve just discovered, being outnumbered and unprepared can
  mean that these giant, disgusting vermin can get the better of you.
  To look on the bright side, they do find you to be a most excellent meal.
  Your adventure is over. Go to 149.
  132
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 41 and choose again.
  133
  To determine if you hear anything through the door, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1, go to 12.
  If you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 104.
  134
  You seem to be in a short connecting room. There’s really nothing here
  but the doors to the north and south.
  Reference Map III for this area.
  If you’d like to listen at the north door, go to 110.
  If you’d like to listen at the south door, go to 28.
  If you’d like to go through the north door, go to 41.
  If you’d like to go through the south door, go to 93.
  
  72
  135
  You find nothing.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 67 and choose again.
  136
  You go through the door.
  Do you have Plot Point A?
  If so, go to 4.
  If not, go to 84.
  137
  To determine if you hear anything through the door, roll a d6.
  If you roll a 1, go to 132.
  If you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 85.
  138
  You have bested the oversized rodents, and should now be able to search
  the room in peace.
  You gain Plot Point D.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, go to 33.
  
  73
  139
  You easily find the secret passage in the north wall.
  To discover what is beyond, go to 122.
  140
  Wow! Stuck behind the shelves of one of the furthest bookcases is an
  intact, original edition, book of poetry by one of the old masters! You
  remember being told about these sorts of books by a scribe you know.
  You figure this could be worth 100gp to a collector. Score!
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 67 and choose again.
  141
  You hear nothing.
  Go to 134.
  142
  You find nothing.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 82 and choose again.
  143
  This guy seems really disturbed at having his rest interrupted, but sees
  you meant no harm. He says he’s going elsewhere to get some sleep, but
  before he leaves through the south entrance, he gives you some advice:
  “In the long hall, the far doorway holds a dangerous creature. Avoid it!”
  He then departs.
  
  74
  You gain Plot Point A.
  Go to 4.
  144
  You find nothing.
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 82 and choose again.
  145
  What luck! You’ve found exactly what you’re looking for! According to
  this journal you’ve just found, all you need to do is mix the blue and clear
  liquids found in the lab, and drinking that will cure you! Now where’s
  the lab?
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, return to 122 and choose again.
  146
  You hear nothing.
  Return to 4 and choose again.
  147
  To determine the results of your search, roll a d6.
  If you roll 1 or 2, go to 69.
  If you roll 3, 4, 5, or 6, go to 116.
  
  75
  148
  You find a secret door in the center of the north wall!
  Add 1 to your turn counter.
  If your turn counter is now 10, go to 47.
  If not, gain Plot Point C. Go to 47.
  
  76
  149
  Adventure Wrap-Up
  If you died in the course of the adventure, don’t worry! Simply start over
  from scratch. You’re still learning, so it’s OK to practice a bit. There is a
  solution to the scenario, so keep at it!
  If you succeeded, then congratulations! You’ve encountered more of the
  basics of game play: Exploration, mapping, puzzles, and deciding where
  to go next.
  Below is the full dungeon map. Compare it to the map you made:
  But of course, this isn’t the full experience of the game either. There is
  more to learn (there’s always more to learn!), but with these games under
  your belt, you will now be better equipped to understand the complexities
  of the full game.
  Dungeon is a generic term for any adventuring area. Whether it’s an old
  house and its basement, or a tower, or a castle, or an honest-to-goodness
  underground complex, if it’s an enclosed area with doors and passages,
  it’s often called a dungeon.
  
  77
  More About the Game
  Up until this point you’ve been limited by the restraints of a single-player
  game run out of a book. You need to take the next step, and join a real
  role-playing group.
  RPG groups typically number between four and ten, and meet every once
  in awhile to play (once a week is common, although really dedicated
  players meet several times a week).
  One person in the group must assume the role of Referee, and is basically
  in charge of the game. This gives the Referee great influence over the
  game, but it also entails much responsibility – the entire game depends
  on the effort and talent of the Referee. While the rest of the players can
  just show up and play their characters, a Referee has much, much more
  to do.
  Preparation
  Refereeing a role-playing game is a fair amount of work, and putting
  together a game session takes a bit of thought. There are a few things that
  every game session needs. These may seem like common sense and
  inevitable when gaming with friends, but experience has shown that
  gaming groups are not always endowed with common sense, and many
  new game groups are composed of strangers meeting for the first time as
  the game begins.
  Materials (Pencil, Paper, Dice, Screen)
  Each player, and the Referee, is responsible for having their own gaming
  materials. Only the Referee needs a copy of the rules, and of course he
  must have his adventure notes.
  The Referee could also use a screen, or other device that blocks the
  Referee’s notes from view of the players. A clipboard with a blank page
  over the notes could easily be used as a screen.
  All players should have their own pencil, eraser, and dice, and show up
  
  78
  ready to play, but a good host will have extras available because somebody
  always forgets. Or doesn’t own one of these items and no matter what
  they say aren’t really interested in getting them, ever.
  Playing Space
  The traditional arrangement for playing role-playing games is that all
  participants sit around a table. This allows all participants to more or less
  face each other, and provides a surface for rolling dice and writing.
  There must be space for all players to sit comfortably for several hours,
  there must be space to roll dice, and the players and Referee must all be
  able to hear each other clearly. You would think this was quite obvious,
  but it’s not so uncommon that too many people are invited to a session
  and then there’s nowhere to put everyone. Or a game is scheduled in a
  public place, and the background noise makes effective gaming impossi-
  ble. It just takes a little planning to avoid these problems. Take that time
  to plan.
  Snacks and Refreshments
  Role-playing sessions usually last hours. Some, usually younger groups,
  play marathon sessions that last twelve or more hours! Having food and
  drink available is essential. Plan the refreshments as a group in advance
  of the session. Find out if anyone is allergic to certain foods or can’t eat
  certain things for other reasons (serving only hamburgers when someone
  in your group is a vegetarian = EPIC FAIL). Good food and drink makes
  any social gathering more enjoyable and comfortable, and their absence
  can make an otherwise good gaming session unbearable.
  
  79
  The Process of Play
  While the rules may seem complicated, and may actually be, playing a
  role-playing game is dead simple. The heart of game play is as follows:
  - A player decides his character is going to do something. The Referee
  responds with what happens as a result.
  - The Referee announces that something is happening. The players
  decide what their characters will do in response.
  That’s it.
  The rules are added to create the semblance of order and chaos, each in
  their proper place. Order in that certain procedures are standardized, so
  everyone is on the same page as to how magic works, how to determine
  who wins in combat in as impartial manner as possible, things like that.
  This allows players to make rational decisions within the game, for they
  know not everything is completely arbitrary. And the rules provide
  avenues for uncertainty, so that even though procedures are known,
  excitement builds as outcomes remain in question until actions are resolved.
  Description, Action, Reaction
  The Referee represents the senses of the PCs. He tells the players what
  their characters see, what they hear, what they smell, and what they
  physically feel. The players never see the Referee’s adventure notes or
  maps or any such details. It is from these descriptions that the players
  make their decisions, so they are vitally important.
  It is only with practice that a Referee learns how much is enough, and
  how much is too much, and it is only with practice that players learn how
  to interpret each Referee’s style of presentation.
  
  80
  Making the Game Come Alive
  Rules and rulebooks, no matter how fantastic the material they talk about,
  are fairly dry and unexciting in and of themselves. The books and rules
  are not games, they are tools to allow you to play the games.
  The key to exciting games is to be exciting. A Referee should not read
  descriptions off a page like he’s putting together a bookshelf, nor should
  he be calm and roll dice with the same verve as if sorting his change. This
  is a skill a Referee needs to learn and practice – how to make games that
  do not just describe the happenings of a fictional reality, but to present it
  in a manner which excites the players and makes them happy to return
  game after game.
  The Referee must bring life to his campaign. His descriptions should be
  dramatic, when appropriate, and he should use every dramatic technique
  possible in order to make the players excited and involved. Use voices,
  stand up and gesture wildly. But like all things, it should be done in
  moderation and when appropriate, else the technique just becomes silly.
  The players are likewise responsible for bringing their characters to life.
  Coming up with engaging (and appropriate) personalities for their
  characters and running the characters in a manner consistent with those
  personalities enhances the game for everyone.
  Mapping
  Unlike other types of games, in role-playing games the players can’t see
  the location where their “pieces” (the characters) are. Since they depend
  on the Referee’s description, it is up to the players to keep track of their
  location. They do this by following the Referee’s instructions and mapping
  as they go.
  Referees should not remind players about directions and locations of
  interest if the players haven’t bothered keeping track, unless the characters
  actually go back to the locations in question.
  
  81
  Relationship Between Player and Character
  This game is written with the assumption that you understand the
  difference between “You” as in “Your character, in the game,” and “You”
  as in “You, the real person reading this book right now.”
  The most rewarding part of this game is the opportunity to create a
  character and watch him grow from a greater-than-the-average-man
  explorer into a real mythic figure. All of the successes and failures
  involved in playing a character over time as well as giving personality to
  that character (and watching as some personality quirks of the character
  develop almost by themselves), is an act of creativity and collaboration
  with your fellow players and Referee that can never be recreated. It is
  absolutely unique.
  That said, never become too attached to a character. Characters will die
  uselessly in silly situations, or become cursed, or end up in horrible
  circumstances and have their reputations ruined. Those are all part of the
  game – every bit as slaying monsters, finding treasure, and doing great
  deeds. Sometimes being a great player helps your character survive, and
  sometimes fate and the dice are just against you and there’s not much you
  can do.
  If this upsets you, you are in the wrong hobby.
  It’s a balancing act. You can’t become too invested in characters because
  a bad decision or an unlucky roll could doom your character, but at the
  same time without a due amount of care and investment your character
  will never rise in level and become a successful adventurer.
  Part of your job as a player is to find the right balance for you in
  approaching your characters.
  The important thing when playing is to remember that this is not a novel
  or a movie. Your actions are not building to a greater climax at the end
  of a story. There is no plot structured to organize your actions. Not every
  challenge is meant to be overcome, and not every challenge meant to be
  
  82
  overcome actually will be during the course of play. Your decisions may
  take an adventure in directions that nobody thought it could ever go. The
  story that the game is telling is discovered through play, and understood
  only after the game is ended. It is never decided ahead of time.
  Also remember that while the player is not the character, the player is
  responsible for the character. Many real-life hurt feelings have resulted
  from a rude or inappropriate action justified by saying, “That is what my
  character would do!” It’s the player who establishes the character’s
  personality, so acting against the enjoyment of the real-life people while
  using the character as an excuse is absolutely pathetic.
  Getting Killed
  Player Characters will die. It’s a reality of the game, especially at low
  levels. The player must remember the character is not there to be the
  player’s alter-ego or avatar, but is merely the player’s “playing piece” and
  means to explore the game world and take action within it. Yes, you can
  give personality to the character and play the part and really develop the
  character as a person, but this is a game of adventure and danger, and
  death is often on the line. Keep all this in mind, and have a sense of humor
  when your character bites it. Your Referee sure will.
  Upon character death, a new character should be created immediately by
  the player, perhaps even as play continues for everyone else. The Referee
  must conspire with the player to insert the new character into the game
  as quickly as possible.
  
  83
  
  84
  About the Rules
  Rules are the framework of a role-playing game. They create the basic
  expectations that allow players to make rational decisions within the game.
  They help define the rhythm of play. While the rules don’t always indicate
  the style or immediately reveal what actual play consists of, they will
  determine the scale of the game and the sorts of things that are expected
  to happen in it.
  There Isn’t a Rule For That!
  Rules in RPGs do not dictate what you can do. They just illustrate how
  to resolve certain actions and give a basis for determining how actions
  not covered by the rules might be resolved.
  In a game, your character can try to do anything that a person in that
  situation could do. However, you should always ask yourself, “Is this a
  good idea? Will this increase my character’s chances of accomplishing
  his goals?”
  Also remember that the Referee’s description of particular situations and
  locations will be necessarily short to avoid boring players with endless
  exposition. “You are in a bustling marketplace,” he might say, without
  mentioning exactly what is for sale. He might not mention how many
  guardsmen are about (but he’ll certainly let you know after you start
  trouble!). A player should always ask questions about his character’s
  environment to gain information, and then use this information to his
  character’s advantage. If an idea seems good, use it, even if there isn’t a
  specific rule for it.
  House Rules
  The rules of a role-playing game are not immutable or any sort of final
  authority. The Referee is welcome, some may say required, to add,
  remove, or alter any rules to suit his own campaign. Such rules alterations
  are known as “House Rules,” and players should be notified of any House
  Rules before the start of play. House rules override any “official” rules.
  
  85
  Impartiality
  The Referee has an interesting dual role: to provide the challenge and to
  run the enemies of the PCs, and then to also administer the game in a way
  that neither favors nor victimizes the PCs. All participants (but especially
  the Referee) must always remember that even though in the game there
  may be monsters and characters who are against the players’ characters,
  the Referee is not against the players.
  Rule 0
  The Referee is the final authority in all matters for his campaign, above
  the letter and the spirit of the rules.
  Rule 1
  The Referee shall realize that Rule 0 is for the purpose establishing the
  desired atmosphere for his campaign. Rule 0 is not as an excuse to abuse
  players or a license to be a despot at the game table. Rules should be
  applied consistently, and players should be advised of any permanent rules
  changes in a Referee’s campaign.
  Rule 1 can be summed up by, “Don’t be a dick.”
  Rules Arguments and Questions
  Sometimes rules, “official” or house, are not interpreted the same way by
  the Referee and the players. Sometimes a situation in the game pops up
  and there must be a ruling that really isn’t at all covered by the rules.
  Sometimes a Referee makes a quick call over what he considers an
  unimportant matter that is of great importance to his players. And
  sometimes the players will feel the Referee is just plain wrong in a call
  he makes.
  Referees should always be willing to hear protests of rulings made, or
  rules interpretations. While the Referee is the final authority over the
  
  86
  game, the fellowship of the game’s participants, Referee and player alike,
  transcends the game. It is in these situations that a constant observation
  of Rule 1 becomes important – the Referee must have the freedom to make
  a firm call in order to keep the game moving, and players must trust the
  Referee to make fair rulings.
  If the players’ point of view seems reasonable, then a Referee should
  change his previous decision. But be consistent! Anything that works in
  the PCs’ favor will also work for monsters or NPCs. If a Referee decides
  that the player point of view really doesn’t have a lot of merit (especially
  if there are factors involved which are hidden from the players), then the
  Referee must firmly uphold his original ruling.
  If something seems complicated or difficult and both sides are adamant
  – for example if there is a difference of opinion on whether an in-game
  happening that was supposed to reflect how things happen in real life
  actually does, do not delay the game over it! Roll a die, flip a coin, get
  past the current conflict and let the game go on. After the game is over,
  then perhaps research could be done on the matter or a more lengthy
  conversation held to come to a reasoned decision on how the group will
  handle such situations going forward.
  
  87
  Winning and Losing
  It must be stressed that role-playing games are not like most other games,
  in that they have no declared victory conditions. But just because it is a
  cooperative game does not mean that there are no winners or losers.
  Characters will die, probably quite often at low levels for new players.
  Each death is a “loss,” and through the development of a campaign,
  characters will suffer many setbacks and face many challenges that feel
  like a “loss.” However, in between there are triumphs that will be had as
  well: enemies will be vanquished, treasure will be won, and plans will
  come to fruition.
  Winning and losing is not a result in role-playing games, but an ever-
  changing state of affairs that naturally occurs through the ebb and flow
  of normal game play.
  A crucially important point:
  Referees do not “win” by defeating the players’ characters. Referees have
  the ability to instantly slay any character, or to bestow great riches upon
  them, so doing either serves no purpose.
  Stepping away from the results of the game, one thing can be said to be
  true: If you enjoy playing the game, you’re winning.
  
  88
  Example of Play
  James is the Referee for his group, which consists of Anne (playing the
  third level Magic-User Mystaria), Enrico (playing the third level Fighter
  Gorgon), Saara (playing the third level Halfling Jacques), and Paul
  (playing the third level Cleric Templeton). There is fifth player, Chris,
  but he couldn’t play that day so his Specialist, Fimble Winters, isn’t with
  the party.
  Note that this example of play assumes all the rules from the Rules book
  are in use.
  James: So are you guys all outfitted and ready to go?
  Anne: I’m ready. Mystaria has bought rations for her two retainers,
  Karlsson and Lawrence. Lawrence will be carrying the torches and
  Karlsson will be carrying any treasure we find.
  Saara: I’ve got my stuff, and I’ve bought leather armor and a sword for
  my retainer.
  James: What’s his name?
  Saara: Uh, I don’t know. Barrelman?
  James: Fine. Paul?
  Paul: Templeton’s ready to go. I’ve bought my man-at-arms Kurtis a
  shield, short bow, and arrows.
  James: I can’t believe that guy’s still alive after last time.
  Paul: Me neither. Enrico, are you sure you’re not hiring anybody?
  Enrico: Oh hell no. I still think you guys are nuts. Why split any of the
  treasure?
  
  89
  Anne: You’re also going to slow us down. Aren’t you Severely Encum-
  bered?
  Enrico: You haven’t played this game as long as I have! You need to be
  prepared. You’ll be thanking me for having all this stuff if we run into
  trouble.
  James: So you’re ready? OK, so are you following that map you found?
  Paul: Sure.
  James: OK. On the way to the ruins…
  (James delivers some exposition about the place and the trip there; he
  decides there won’t be any trouble on the trip, so he just narrates their trip
  in a few sentences)
  James: So you’re there. The map was obviously accurate, as at the bottom
  of the gully you see the entrance to a tunnel. You surely would never have
  noticed it if you weren’t expecting to find it.
  Anne: Are there any distinguishing marks or features around the entrance?
  James: No. It’s all overgrown. The entranceway itself is built out of stone
  blocks, but the blocks are cracked and badly chipped. With the vegetation
  immediately in front of it, you guess nobody has been through here in a
  long, long time.
  Enrico: Cool. Let’s go in!
  James: It’s a ten foot wide passage. Marching order?
  (the players discuss for a minute)
  Paul: Gorgon and Templeton will be in front, and behind us Saara and
  my retainers. Anne’s character will be after that with her two guys, with
  Saara’s guy taking up the rear.
  
  90
  (the players all nod their agreement)
  James: Anybody carrying any lights besides Anne’s linkboy? What does
  he have, anyway?
  Anne: Lawrence has a lantern, so it’ll last awhile.
  Enrico: That should be enough. I’ve got torches in my pack if we need
  them. Let’s go!
  (the party advances into the tunnel, and explore some rooms and passages,
  until they come to…)
  James: The passage opens up into a chamber, twenty feet deep and thirty
  feet wide. The passage is entering the room in the middle of the wall.
  Saara: (drawing the room on the map she’s been making)
  Paul: Do we see anything in there?
  James: It looks empty from your vantage point in the doorway.
  Enrico: Saara, Paul, have your guys go check it out and make sure it’s
  empty.
  Saara: These guys aren’t as tough as we are…
  Enrico: But if there’s trouble I’d rather they get attacked first! They’re
  only NPCs!
  Paul: And more useful to us alive than dead! Kurtis isn’t going in alone.
  Enrico: Saara?
  Saara: I guess Barrelman will go in.
  
  91
  James: (rolls 2d6 and compares it against Barrelman’s Loyalty score, and
  rolls over the score) Barrelman says he won’t go in by himself. He also
  points out to Jacques that he doesn’t take orders from Gorgon.
  Enrico: That son of a bitch!
  Anne: You guys know that these hirelings refuse to be used as cannon
  fodder. If we don’t want to do something, they certainly won’t let us order
  them to do it instead!
  Enrico: What good are they then? Just draining our gold and XP!
  Saara: And allowing us to carry more treasure out so we’re getting more
  XP –
  Enrico: If we find any…
  Paul: And having an extra sword in a fight is always a good thing.
  Enrico: Having one of these guys to take a hit instead of us is a good
  thing.
  James: You realize you’re having this conversation right in front of them?
  Enrico: No, this is out of character. Gorgon’s not actually saying this.
  James: This is absolutely in character! Your guy is scared to go in the
  room so he’s arguing to send these other guys in! They’re looking at you
  pretty pissed.
  Enrico: Oh come on! Fine. FINE. I’ll go in with the both of them! Come
  on!
  James: Saara, Barrelman looks at you for confirmation. Paul, your guy
  looks at Templeton as well.
  Enrico: These guys are really pissing me off.
  
  92
  Saara: (nods)
  Paul: Fine with me.
  James: OK, Enrico, Gorgon and the two men-at-arms step into the room.
  You check around, and the place is indeed empty.
  Enrico: All that for an empty room? Man…
  Paul: That’s it, there’s nothing useful in this place. I thought there was
  supposed to be treasure here?
  Enrico: Oh there is. We just have to find it.
  Saara: Look at the map here. All the other rooms are real close to the
  edge of the gully wall or to each other, but this one has lots of space around
  it.
  Anne: Right. Let’s check this room for secret doors.
  James: All of you?
  Enrico: Anne’s boys can keep watch at the doorway, the rest of us will
  search around.
  Paul: Three to a wall, we’ll check two walls at first, then the other two
  walls.
  James: That’ll take two turns.
  Enrico: Fine.
  James: (rolls 3d6 for the first wall and 3d6 for the second wall, even
  though he knows there are no secret doors there, to keep the players
  off-guard). After the first search, you don’t find anything.
  
  93
  Paul: Now the other two walls.
  James: (he knows there is something on the south wall, which he decided
  was going to be part of the second search since none of the players
  specified which walls were being done during which search. He rolls 3d6
  for the wall with no secret door, so the results don’t matter. For the south
  wall, he rolls 3d6 – 5, 1, 4. The 1 means the door is found. James rolls
  randomly to see who found it, since again nobody specified which group
  they were a part of.) Paul, Templeton finds a secret door in the center of
  the south wall.
  Paul: Alright! Guys, I found it! Can I open it?
  James: Yes, this one’s easy to open. It’s another ten foot passage.
  Enrico: Let’s go!
  James: As you advance down the corridor, you get ten, twenty, then thirty
  feet in –
  Enrico: Funny that we know all the exact measurements. Do we have a
  tape measure or something?
  James: Why do you think you’re only advancing one hundred and twenty
  feet every ten minutes? I’m sorry, thirty feet, because you’re so encum-
  bered.
  Enrico: Remind me why we can’t go faster then?
  James: Your map won’t be accurate, so you won’t know where the likely
  places are for secret doors, so you’ll end up checking every room and
  wasting a ton of time, you’ll automatically set off any traps you come
  across, and you’ll automatically be surprised by any enemies you run into.
  This is not a casual stroll along the beach! So do you want to go at the
  standard exploration speed here or increase to a normal walk?
  Saara: We’ll go slow!
  
  94
  Enrico: Fine, fine.
  James: Good thing, because at the edge of your lantern light you see them
  –
  Paul: See what?
  James: Let me finish! You see two rather large creatures, looking roughly
  like apes but with drawn features, body hair covered in old bloodstains,
  and long sharp teeth and claws. They’re coming at you fast! (rolls d6 to
  check if the party’s surprised, and rolls a 3. No surprise. There is no chance
  of the ape things being surprised, as the party can’t surprise anything in
  a dark dungeon hallway while carrying a lantern.) Everyone roll initiative.
  (rolls a d6 and gets a 4)
  Anne: (rolls 5 for Mystaria, but doesn’t roll for her hirelings because they
  won’t be acting during combat unless they must)
  Enrico: (rolls 3)
  Saara: (rolls 4 for Jacques and 2 for Barrelman)
  Paul: (rolls 1 for Templeton and 6 for Kurtis)
  James: OK, anyone on six?
  Paul: Kurtis is, and he moves up to the front line and holds his action,
  he’ll attack when the apes close in.
  James: Five?
  Anne: Mystaria goes! She casts Magic Missile on the bigger one! (rolls
  4 on a d6) Seven points of damage!
  James: Got it. It lets out a loud howl of pain! Anyone going on four?
  
  95
  Saara: Jacques, but he’s behind the line so I’ll hold my action.
  James: OK. The apes go on four. They charge in, and will attack. (rolls
  randomly to see who each attacks) One will attack Templeton, the other
  will attack Kurtis. (rolls d20 for the first one, gets 10, so that’s a miss,
  and rolls 15 for the second attack, which hits due to the creature’s bonus
  from being 3HD). The first one attempts to maul you, Paul, but misses.
  Paul: Thank goodness I got that shield!
  James: Indeed. Kurtis got hit though, and takes (rolls 4 on d6) four points
  of damage.
  Paul: Oh crap. He’s down to two. Saara, can your guy switch places with
  him in front?
  James: Which one?
  Paul: Either one, really!
  James: Jacques is all the way in the back…!
  Saara: But I was holding my action so I could get up front if I needed
  to…
  James: Fine, but Kurtis already moved this round, so he can’t retreat back.
  Do Templeton or Gorgon want to switch places with Barrelman instead
  of attacking?
  Paul: No!
  Enrico: Hell no!
  James: Alright then. Anyone go on three?
  Paul: Wait a minute, Kurtis gets his attack! He was holding his action
  there, remember?
  
  96
  James: Right, right. Roll to hit.
  Paul: (rolls d20) Aw, crap. Rolled a five, I miss.
  James: Yup. OK then, anyone go on three?
  Enrico: ME! (rolls d20, gets 12) Sixteen including bonuses. What’s their
  armor class?
  James: Fourteen. You hit.
  Enrico: Damn right I did! Big two-handed sword chopping up the one
  Anne got with the Magic Missile! (rolls d10) TEN! BOOYA!
  James: Ah man, you chop that ape thing down! It drops like a rock,
  gushing blood all over the place!
  Enrico: Who da man? WHO DA MAN?
  James: Combat’s not over, there’s still an undamaged ape thing left.
  Anyone go on two?
  Saara: Barrelman, but he’s in the second rank, so he’ll hold.
  James: One?
  Paul: That’s me. I mean Templeton. (rolls d20, gets 13) 14, including my
  attack bonus! Just barely got him! (rolls d8) Six points! Nasty chop with
  the axe!
  James: Indeed it is! (makes a 2d6 Morale roll for the ape, but rolls below
  its 9 score so it will not run away on its turn). Initiative rolls again. (rolls
  d6, gets 2)
  Anne: (rolls d6, gets 4)
  
  97
  Enrico: (rolls d6, gets 6) YES!
  Saara: (rolls d6 for Jacques, gets 4, and a 3 for Barrelman)
  Paul: (rolls d6 for Templeton, gets 3, and a 5 for Kurtis)
  James: Anyone on six?
  Enrico: Me! Going to take this sucker DOWN! (rolls d20, gets 9)
  James: That thirteen is going to just miss.
  Enrico: No, I want to do a Press attack so I get another plus two!
  James: No way. You have to say that before rolling the dice!
  Enrico: Maaaannn…
  James: Five?
  Paul: That’s Kurtis. He’s going to move back so somebody else can get
  the front row.
  Enrico: Can’t he hold his action and wait until the next guy’s ready to
  move up? You just increased my chances of getting hit here!
  Paul: He’ll die from another hit! You’ve got what… seventeen hit points?
  Kurtis has two left! Deal with it!
  Enrico: But he’s just an NPC…
  James: Four?
  Anne: Mystaria has four, but she’ll hold her action. I don’t think we need
  another spell to take this one down.
  Saara: Jacques has four, and he’ll step up to the front and attack! (rolls
  
  98
  d20, gets 15) A hit! Jacques whittles this thing down a bit with his short
  sword! (rolls d6) Three damage!
  James: It’s still up, and quite angry. Three?
  Saara: Barrelman, but he’ll hold.
  Paul: Templeton takes a swing. (rolls d20, gets 10) Armor Class fourteen
  you say? Damn it, miss.
  James: All of you have gone now, right? The remaining ape-thing will
  attack (rolls randomly) Gorgon! (rolls d20, gets 4) Miss! Initiative again
  everyone! (rolls 5)
  Anne: (rolls d6, gets 3 for Mystaria)
  Enrico: (rolls d6, gets 5 for Gorgon)
  Saara: (rolls d6, gets 6 for Jacques and gets 2 for Barrelman)
  Paul: (rolls d6, gets 3 for Templeton and gets 2 for Kurtis)
  James: OK, anyone got six?
  Saara: Jacques! (rolls d20, gets 14) Another hit! I’m gonna kill it… (rolls
  d6) One damage. Is that enough?
  James: Sorry, it’s got one point left! Next hit drops it. Anyone on five?
  Enrico: Me! (rolls d20, gets 20) OH YEAH! Dead dead dead! (rolls d10)
  Only a four, but it’s down, gone, deceased, XP in the bag!
  James: Yes, but it also had a five for initiative so it still gets its turn before
  going down. (rolls randomly to see who is attacked) Paul, it’s your guy.
  (rolls d20, gets 15) Eighteen hits you, right?
  Paul: Yeah, Templeton’s AC fifteen. What’s the damage?
  
  99
  James: (rolls d6) Three points.
  Paul: Not so bad. At least it’s down.
  Anne: Someone keep watch in case something heard all this noise.
  Saara: Jacques and Barrelman will be lookouts down both sides of the
  passage.
  James: Fine.
  Paul: At least we know something’s down there, like another way out or
  a stream or something.
  Enrico: What?
  Paul: Well if this is just a sealed up old dungeon, we’d be attacked by
  green slime or zombies or something, not ape creatures. They have to eat
  something and live somewhere!
  Enrico: Dude, it’s a dungeon. That stuff doesn’t matter.
  Anne: I think Paul’s right. Ape creatures certainly aren’t going to operate
  secret doors, and (looking at James) didn’t you say that the entrance was
  all overgrown and unused? Could someone pass by without leaving a
  trace if they were making the effort?
  James: It’s probably not impossible, but do you think ape creatures worry
  about that?
  Anne: Hmm. No. But they’d have to either live in here or there’s another
  way out. If there’s another way out, there could be more monsters we
  need to worry about.
  Enrico: Of course there’s more stuff in here. It’s a dungeon! It doesn’t
  need another way out!
  
  100
  Anne: (ignoring him) If there isn’t another way out, then there is still
  something more to find, because ape things just don’t wait around in
  hallways for people to –
  Enrico: Yes they do! This is a frickin’ dungeon, people, not National
  Geographic!
  Paul: Well if you’re right, then we’re going to fight more stuff whatever
  we do. If me and Anne are right, then we’ll have more stuff to fight and
  we might be able to get an advantage by finding out how the place is set
  up and planning around that.
  Enrico: Fine…
  (the party explores some more, finds some more interesting things, finds
  some clues, and fights a few dungeon pests that don’t inflict any damage
  upon them. We pick our example back up as they find a quite important
  room…)
  James: … and the passage opens into a large chamber. It is about fifty
  feet wide, but deeper than your lantern light can penetrate. Ten feet from
  the side walls are a series of thin columns that disappear into the darkness.
  You hear crackling and dripping noises from up ahead.
  Anne: I don’t like this room. Not at all.
  Paul: (looks at the party’s map that Saara’s been making all this time)
  We still have a couple other passages we could explore.
  Saara: We’re still looking for the dark flame thing we saw mentioned in
  that other room. Let’s at least see how many exits there are from this room
  and then decide which way we go, OK?
  Enrico: Fine, but don’t touch anything in this room without all agreeing
  first, right?
  
  101
  (everyone agrees)
  Enrico: Since this is a big room I want someone else to be carrying a
  torch. I give Saara’s halfing a torch from my pack. You weren’t carrying
  a shield anyway, right?
  Saara: Right. Templeton’s just got the short sword right now. But I can’t
  hide if I’m holding a torch.
  Enrico: You won’t need to hide. The idea is that if this is a really big
  room, we don’t lose each other. I think Me and Saara and Anne and…
  which one of the NPCs is hurt?
  Paul: My guy, Kurtis.
  Enrico: Then Saara’s Barrel dude will come with us. Kurtis, Paul’s cleric,
  and the other two guys, are they yours, Anne?
  Anne: Karlsson and Lawrence?
  Enrico: Whatever, the guys that don’t fight, right?
  Anne: Right. They’ll all hang back and watch our backs. Paul can play
  guard back there.
  Paul: Are you sure that you don’t want Templeton to heal Kurtis?
  Enrico: You’re not wasting a healing spell on a damn NPC!
  Paul: Fine, fine…
  James: OK. So it’ll be Mystaria, Gorgon, Jacques, and Barrelman
  advancing into the room, and the rest staying near the entrance to the
  room?
  (everyone confirms)
  
  102
  James: OK, you four advance. You discover that the room is about eighty
  feet long. The columns continue down the length of the room, and there
  are two doorways on the far wall in the corners leaving the room. In the
  center of the far wall is a large stone statue, an idol of some sort perhaps,
  looking froggy and demonic and generally unpleasant. Before it is a small
  chest, closed. Before the statue, four or five feet away from it, is some
  sort of platform or altar. On this altar is a flame – but not an ordinary one.
  It gives off no light at all, but once your light shines upon it, it looks like
  a normal fire. This is the source of the crackling noise.
  Saara: It’s the dark flame!
  James: There is also a circular pit directly in front of the altar.
  Enrico: Between the statue and the altar?
  James: No, the statue is against the wall, then the altar, then the pit.
  Enrico: So the pit is the closest thing to us?
  James: Yeah.
  Enrico: And where are we now?
  James: You’re about thirty feet from the statue, it’s right at the edge of
  your lantern light.
  Saara: So we’re about fifty feet away from the guys in the doorway now?
  James: Yes.
  Anne: I wish Chris was here. His character is good at finding traps. And
  I bet there is a trap.
  Paul: Can’t we just say Fimble is here with us?
  James: Nope. Player’s not here, so neither is his character, or his
  
  103
  character’s stuff.
  Enrico: We each still have a one in six chance to find something if it’s
  there.
  James: You read the rules. How clever.
  Enrico: Damn right. Saara, send your guy to check it out.
  Saara: Jacques? He’s wearing leather armor and has less hit points than
  even the magic-user!
  Enrico: No, not you, your guy. The NPC!
  Saara: Barrelman?
  James: Barrelman looks at Jacques and shakes his head no.
  Enrico: We’re not saying this out loud!
  James: You are too! If you’re telling Saara to send the retainer, that’s
  Gorgon telling Jacques to send Barrelman on ahead! And not even
  referring to his name, either. That doesn’t win you any points with him,
  you know. (Looks at Saara.) And he wouldn’t take kindly to you
  acquiescing to Gorgon’s demands when he orders everyone around like
  that either. This is an adventuring expedition, not a military operation,
  after all.
  Saara: I know, I know…
  Enrico: (glowers)
  James: So what are you guys going to do? The NPCs are followers and
  support, not bait and mindless redshirts.
  Enrico: Fine, fine! I’ll go and check things out. Can you guys cover me?
  
  104
  Saara: Jacques has a sling. Barrelman doesn’t have anything.
  Anne: I still have a Sleep spell, but for second level I took Knock. I guess
  I could throw daggers…
  Enrico: Didn’t anyone have a bow?
  Saara: You have a bow.
  Enrico: I can’t cover myself!
  Paul: Kurtis has one, but we’ll be eighty feet away from you, with Anne
  and Saara’s guys between us and you if there’s trouble.
  Enrico: You guys are useless…
  Saara: And not weighed down like an anchor like some people…
  Enrico: (snorts) Get the people in back up here. And watch the hall we
  came in through so nothing sneaks up on us!
  James: Paul?
  Paul: Yeah, Templeton and Kurtis will advance.
  Anne: My guys certainly aren’t going to stay back there by themselves,
  so they follow.
  James: OK. You’re all together in the room, thirty feet from the statue.
  Enrico: Paul, your guy with the bow will cover me, and I’ll go see if it’s
  all clear.
  Paul: Got it.
  Enrico: So what do I see? And I’m paying attention to the pit to make
  sure nothing jumps out at me!
  
  105
  James: OK. You get to the pit. Where exactly are you going?
  Enrico: I want to check out that chest. But I’m keeping an eye on the pit.
  I think something’s in there. And I want to pay special attention so you
  don’t screw me and say that I slip and fall in or anything.
  James: (broad grin)
  Enrico: Yeah, I thought so. So I go around the pit, behind the altar thing
  with the fire, and approach the chest near the statue.
  James: OK, as you slide around the altar… a giant spider drops from the
  ceiling on top of you!
  Enrico: Oh man!
  Paul: Can Kurtis shoot it before it drops without risking hitting Gorgon?
  Enrico: (rolls d6) Four for initiative!
  James: Hold on, hold on! I’m going to rule that the spider gets a surprise
  round, so no Paul, you can’t shoot, and Enrico, you have to wait until the
  spider attacks before we do initiative.
  Enrico: What? You didn’t even roll anything! People aren’t automatically
  surprised! There’s only a two in six chance! Roll!
  James: No! You made it a point to look in the pit, downward, not up! I
  would assume people are looking at you, or the doorways, someone at
  least is looking backwards the way you came. Nobody, not one of you,
  said anything about looking upwards. You didn’t even ask how high the
  ceiling was when I mentioned columns. Even if we assume everyone did
  a full scan including upwards when you first came into the room, this end
  wasn’t visible from there, and everyone’s been focused on something else.
  You are surprised.
  
  106
  Enrico: This is a snowjob. Fine, kill me then!
  James: (rolls d20, gets 16). What’s your AC?
  Enrico: Eighteen.
  James: With its bonus from hit dice, it gets exactly what it needs to hit!
  Enrico: Yeah, I bet.
  James: Look at the die! Sixteen! Right there! Are you saying you don’t
  believe a giant spider is at least two hit dice?
  Enrico: Whatever.
  James: (rolls d6, gets 1) Only one point of damage though. Roll your
  poison save…
  Enrico: Oh here we go… (rolls d20, gets 19) There! Haha! I beat your
  stupid little death trap!
  James: Mmm hmm. Initiative, everyone! (rolls d6, gets 3)
  Anne: (rolls d6, gets 4)
  Saara: (rolls d6, gets 2 for Jacques and gets 6 for Barrelman)
  Paul: (rolls d6, gets 4 for Templeton and 5 for Kurtis)
  James: Enrico?
  Enrico: I already rolled before, I got a four.
  James: It wasn’t time for initiative yet. Roll.
  Enrico: This is seriously starting to piss me off… (rolls d6, gets 2) Damn
  it!
  
  107
  James: OK then. Six?
  Saara: Barrelman runs up and is going to take a parry stance.
  Enrico: Charge in and attack the damn thing!
  Saara: It can kill him in one hit, even without the poison! I’m not taking
  an AC penalty!
  James: Five?
  Paul: Kurtis definitely can’t shoot now. He’ll change weapons to the
  sword and advance as well.
  James: Four?
  Paul: Templeton will advance, but not close enough to actually be in
  combat.
  Anne: Mystaria will do the same. Can my guys come up on the same
  initiative since they won’t be doing anything really anyway?
  James: Sure. Three? Nobody else? The spider attacks. Three possible
  targets now. (rolls randomly to determine the target) It’s Gorgon.
  Enrico: You really have it in for me today, don’t you?
  James: Look at the damn die! I didn’t do it! (rolls d20, gets 5) It doesn’t
  come close to damaging you this round, but I can overrule that and say
  he hits if you’re really intent on challenging my die rolls?
  Enrico: (says nothing)
  James: Thought so. Two?
  Saara: Jacques will charge in and attack. Is there room to go into combat?
  
  108
  James: Sure.
  Saara: (rolls d20, gets 15) Sixteen total. What’s its AC?
  James: Fifteen, you hit. Damage?
  Saara: (rolls d6, gets 6) YES! Six points!
  James: You stick it, but it’s still moving. Anyone else on two?
  Enrico: Me! Do I have your permission to roll my to-hit, oh lord oh
  master?
  James: I suppose. If you must.
  Enrico: (rolls d20, gets 12). That’s a hit including my bonus. (rolls d10,
  gets 6) Six points with the two-hander!
  James: And that’ll be just enough to take it to zero Hit Points. It’s still
  twitching –
  Enrico: I stab it!
  James: Fine, it’s dead.
  Enrico: Now can I look at the chest?
  James: Not yet. You hear a scream and pouring out of the two doorways
  are a number of men in robes, wielding daggers. Some are also popping
  out from behind some of the columns, which you never bothered to check.
  They’re all yelling, things like, “Death to the unbelievers!” and “Destroy
  the defoulers!”
  Saara: Damn it! Cultists!
  Paul: There is definitely another way out of here.
  
  109
  Enrico: So what is this? A different combat? How many are there?
  James: Yes it is, and there are eighteen of them. Initiative, everyone.
  Anne, roll for your hirelings as well. (rolls d6, gets 4)
  Anne: (rolls d6, gets 5 for Mystaria, gets 2 for Karlsson and 6 for Lawrence)
  Enrico: (rolls d6, gets 3)
  Saara: (rolls d6, gets 4 for Jacques and 3 for Barrelman)
  Paul: (rolls d6, gets 1 for Templeton and 1 for Kurtis as well)
  James: Anyone got six?
  Anne: Lawrence, but he’s going to hold action. And the lantern.
  James: Five?
  Anne: Mystaria goes. You said the room was fifty feet wide, right?
  James: Yes.
  Anne: So if we’re in the middle it’s twenty-five feet to either side. You
  said there are eighteen of them, so we’ve seen all of them that are coming
  through the door right now? Or else we wouldn’t be able to count them?
  James: I guess so, yeah.
  Anne: I cast Sleep, centered on us.
  Enrico: Woah! Woah! You’ll put us to sleep!
  Anne: No I won’t. It only affects the targets I decide.
  Enrico: Does not!
  
  110
  Anne: (gets the Magic book out)
  Enrico: You can’t look up spell details in the middle of combat!
  James: Actually, if her character has to transcribe spells into her
  spellbook, and then study that spell before every use of it, she’d probably
  have a pretty good idea how it works. If it was just a magic scroll, that
  would be something else though. Look up the details.
  Anne: (pages through, reads the description) It doesn’t specify.
  James: I’ll say that you can choose. This isn’t a fireball or some other
  physical effect.
  Anne: Good! (rolls 2d8) Twelve hit dice worth of them fall asleep!
  James: They’re just normal cultists, no class or level or anything, so
  twelve of them instantly drop. (rolls 2d6 but gets lower than their Morale
  score; they will not surrender or flee) Who goes on four?
  Saara: I do! Jacques will take a swing at one with his sword. (rolls d20,
  gets 11) Only a twelve.
  James: They’re unarmored, so that’s enough.
  Saara: Rock on! (rolls d6, gets 3) Three points.
  James: That’ll drop him.
  Enrico: These guys are wimps!
  James: They also go on four, and will attack. Six of them left – the guy
  Jacques took down still gets to act on this round, and then will fall. How
  about one attacks each of you carrying a weapon?
  Paul: Kurtis will parry!
  
  111
  James: Anyone else? No? OK. The one attacking you, Anne, will (rolls
  d20, gets 14) get a fourteen. Your AC?
  Anne: Fourteen. He hits.
  James: (rolls d4, gets 3) Three points of damage. Enrico, the one on
  Gorgon (rolls d20, gets 4) slices wide with his dagger. The one of Jacques
  (rolls d20, gets 15) will just miss I guess, you have AC sixteen Saara?
  Saara: Yeah.
  James: Your halfling wiles prevented that hit! Barrelman’s attacker gets
  (rolls d20, gets 18) a hit! He’s stabbed for (rolls d4, gets 1) only one point.
  Saara: He’s still fine, no problems yet, but another hit could knock him
  out.
  James: Paul, your cleric is attacked (rolls d20, gets a 12) but that’s a miss.
  The one attacking Kuris (rolls d20, gets 18) hits!
  Paul: Including the parry?
  James: Oh, no, sorry, OK then, Kurtis’ defensive moves saved his bacon
  there, he’s almost out of Hit Points, right?
  Paul: Yeah.
  James: So that’s all their attacks. The one cultist dude falls down,
  incapacitated from his wounds. Who’s on three?
  Enrico: Me!
  Saara: And Barrelman! (rolls d20, gets 15) Hit! (rolls d8, gets 5), five
  damage! He cuts that guy’s head off, right!
  James: I don’t know if it was that brutal, but he puts the guy out of action
  
  112
  right away for sure. Gorgon?
  Enrico: (rolls d20, gets 19) On fire tonight! (rolls d10, gets 3) Ahh, crap
  damage, only three points.
  James: That’s enough to put one down. Three are still up. Anyone else
  on three? Two?
  Anne: Karlsson, but he’s not doing anything this round.
  James: One?
  Paul: Both my guys. Templeton will swing his axe at one of them… (rolls
  d20, gets 13) That’s a hit for (rolls d8, gets 4) four points. He killed him,
  right?
  James: Yeah.
  Paul: And Kurtis –
  James: Kurtis parried, so he doesn’t do anything.
  Paul: oh, yeah.
  James: New round. Initiative! (rolls d6, gets 3)
  Anne: (rolls d6, gets 4 for Mystaria, 3 for Karlsson, and 1 for Lawrence)
  Enrico: (rolls d6, gets 6) Haha!
  Saara: (rolls d6, gets 6 for Jacques and 4 for Barrelman)
  Paul: (rolls d6, gets 4 for Templeton and 4 for Kurtis)
  James: OK, six?
  Enrico: Me! (rolls d20, gets 12) Sixteen! Hit! (rolls d10, gets 9) Nine
  
  113
  points! Cut in HALF!
  James: I guess he is. One left. Anyone else on six?
  Enrico: Saara?
  Saara: Yeah?
  Enrico: Your initiative?
  Saara: OH CRAP. Yeah. Jacques is on six! (rolls d20, gets 13) Hit here!
  (rolls d6, gets 3) Three is enough to put these scrubs down, right?
  James: Yes. Remember your initiative. I can’t keep track of all that! And
  that’s all of them.
  Enrico: Easy!
  Anne: You’re welcome!
  James: So what do you guys do now?
  Paul: We should get rid of the bodies. If anyone else comes through here
  they’ll know we’re here.
  Enrico: Yeah, and I suppose we should mop the floor too?
  Paul: We should at least try not to be obvious. This pit’s here, let’s put
  the bodies in the pit.
  Enrico: Wait, no, STOP!
  Paul: What?
  Enrico: First we have to kill all the guys Anne put to sleep! They’re going
  to wake up before too long!
  
  114
  Anne: Oh. Yeah, there’s that.
  Saara: Can we just tie them up? I don’t think it’s a good idea to kill
  helpless opponents.
  (everyone looks at her slackjawed)
  Saara: Just kidding guys!
  (everyone laughs)
  Paul: So we do that.
  James: OK, that just takes a minute as you go around stabbing defenseless
  sleeping human beings.
  Enrico: Don’t pull that guilt trip on us. “Death to the unbelievers!”
  remember? And this big demon statue here? What are we supposed to do,
  call the cops?
  Paul: So after we kill them, we dump them in the pit.
  Enrico: Woah, woah, hold up there, Tex!
  Paul: What now?
  Enrico: Loot the frickin bodies first!
  Anne and Saara and Paul: oooohhhhh yeeeaaahhh
  Enrico: OK. I think Anne and Saara and Paul’s guys should loot the
  bodies. Don’t let the NPCs in a position to steal our loot, right? All those
  guys can keep lookout.
  Anne: Sounds good.
  Saara: Can you stop acting like these guys are thieves?
  
  115
  Paul: What is Gorgon going to be doing?
  Enrico: I’m going to open that chest.
  Saara: Shouldn’t you check it for traps?
  Enrico: I’m not a Specialist. I’m so crap at it I’d probably set any trap
  off while trying to find it anyway. If I’m going to set it off I might as well
  get the damn thing open. It’s not like the NPCs will open it for us, right?
  James: Quite correct.
  Enrico: So is that a plan?
  (everyone agrees)
  James: It’ll take a minute for you all to rifle through all those robes, so
  we’ll deal with you first Enrico. You just open the thing?
  Enrico: Why not? You’ll find a way to screw me on it no matter what
  plan I come up with. So yeah, I just open it.
  James: It opens easily. Inside you see a fancy carved torch stick. The
  head of it is a bit blackened and charred but otherwise it’s in fine condition.
  Enrico: What’s it made out of?
  James: It’s white, you guess ivory?
  Enrico: Righteous! Poor elephant, dying for our loot. I take it. Hmm. I
  stick it in this unlit flame thingy.
  Anne: Wait, what?
  Paul: Uh, dude?
  
  116
  Saara: Shouldn’t we take care of these guys first…?
  James: OK, as the ivory torch touches the flame on the altar, there is a
  big flash of light! The entire room lights up as if the very walls glow! The
  eyes of the statue start to burn with a low, green light…
  Anne: Dammit Enrico!
  Enrico: What? Is anything attacking us? Any damage? Do we have to
  make any saving throws?
  James: No. Just light.
  Enrico: So no problem. Are they done looting the bodies?
  James: Yeah. You now have eighteen daggers and twenty-five silver and
  eighty-three copper pieces total.
  Enrico: Definitely worthless. OK, dump the bodies.
  Saara: OK, we get all the bodies around the pit and we all push them in
  to get this done quick so we can move on.
  James: Everyone?
  Enrico: Since I’ve got the magic torch, I’ll play lookout…
  (everyone else agrees to help)
  James: (big, big grin)
  Paul: oh hell…
  James: By lighting the mystic torch and then dropping bodies into the
  pit, you have made a blood sacrifice to the demon god! Dark eldritch mist
  rises from the pit as the demon traps the essence of the souls of the
  deceased that have been dropped in there! You see the spirits silhouetted
  
  117
  in this fog as they try to escape, but the demon grabs them, and eats them,
  and becomes a little more solid with each soul it devours…!
  Anne: Run… run… we need to run!
  Paul: Which way, which way?
  Enrico: Oh come on guys, it’s one thing, we can take it!
  Anne: I’m running out the way we came! So are my hirelings!
  Saara: (at the same time) I’m going through one of the doorways, these
  cultists had to have a sanctuary!
  Paul: (same time again) Me and Kurtis will go through one of the
  doorways!
  Anne: Wait, we should coordinate…!
  James: So are you going to stand and talk or run!
  Anne: Well, run, but…
  James: Then you aren’t coordinating and you just all ran to different
  escape routes. I’ll get to each of you in turn, in a minute. Gorgon…
  Enrico: Dammit, you cowards, now I’m screwed! I start running out the
  way I came in. Maybe he’ll chase one of the other guys.
  James: You are, by far, the slowest one running. You’re still at Severe
  Encumbrance, are you not?
  Enrico: uh… yeah…
  James: So are moving thirty feet a round even at a full sprint. This thing
  is floating through the air faster than an unencumbered man…
  
  118
  Enrico: Oh hell. Fine. I turn and face the thing. I’ll go down fighting!
  Anne: Well then…
  James: You guys ran in panic. You and your hirelings are completely
  unencumbered, yes?
  Anne: Yeah, so…
  James: So you cleared the room and more besides in just one round.
  You’re gone already. Enrico, initiative time. (rolls d6, gets 3)
  Enrico: (rolls d6, gets 5) I am going to jam my two handed sword so far
  up this thing’s…
  James: Aren’t you carrying the ivory torch?
  Enrico: No, I’m switching to…
  James: So you’re dropping the torch?
  Enrico: Might as well…
  James: OK, minus two for you to hit this round for switching to your
  weapon, and when you drop the torch, it extinguishes and all the lights in
  the room go out as well. That’s another minus four to hit.
  Enrico: You have got to be shitting me. You’re just making this up as
  you go along just to kill us now, aren’t you?
  James: You saw that I haven’t written anything since noting that the last
  cultist was killed, right? (picks up his game notes, folds the paper so only
  the details of the statue and treasure chest are visible, shows it to Enrico)
  See? “The light effects end when the torch is no longer held.”
  Enrico: DAMMIT. DAMMIT. DAMMIT.
  
  119
  Paul: Our guys maybe can –
  James: You’re not there.
  Enrico: I don’t want help from cowards anyway! ATTACK! PRESS!
  (rolls d20, gets 20) HAHA! Automatic hit! (rolls d10, gets 7) EAT
  STEEL, YOU FIEND!
  James: And its turn… It’s attacking of course. (rolls d20 three times, gets
  16, 12, 5)
  Enrico: Three attacks?
  James: Claw/claw/bite.
  Enrico: (throws his pencil down)
  James: That’s going to be two hits.
  Enrico: A hit on a twelve? Against AC eighteen? In the dark?
  James: You pressed, so your AC is only fourteen this round, and this
  thing can see in the dark.
  Enrico: I suppose you wrote that down in your notes too.
  James: It’s a demon summoned by blood sacrifice! I don’t have to write
  that down! (rolls d6 twice, gets 5 and 4). Nine points of damage total for
  the two claws.
  Enrico: I’m still up. I hope you assholes are at least getting away if I’ve
  got to sacrifice myself here. You better share the treasure with my next
  character or I’m going to –
  James: You’re going to roll initiative for the next round. (rolls d6, gets
  2)
  
  120
  Enrico: (rolls d6, gets 3) OK. Another press then. (rolls d20, gets 13)
  Damn!
  James: Not even close. (rolls d20 three times, gets 3, 18, 14) That’ll be
  a claw and bite hit. (rolls d6, gets 3, rolls d10, gets 5) Eight total.
  Enrico: I’m down. THANKS GUYS.
  Paul: At least we got away.
  James: Excuse me? You all ran out different doors, with the only way of
  meeting up back through the room with the demon. You haven’t gotten
  anywhere yet. We’ll start with your guys, Paul. That will be the quickest.
  Paul: Quickest?
  James: Yeah. Lawrence has the lantern, and he went out the way he came.
  Jacques has a torch, and he ran through one of the doorways. You and
  Kurtis ran through the other doorway. No lights, which you realized when
  Enrico’s torch went out.
  Paul: But, wait, what? How did you determine that we didn’t run through
  the same door as Saara’s guys?
  James: Because in a blind panic you don’t decide those things, and I
  figure in the panic you guys were in…
  Paul: We weren’t in a panic!
  Saara: Yeah! We’re experienced adventurers, third level, not some fresh
  off the farm commoners!
  James: Did you listen to how freaked out you were when I was describing
  the demon? You guys were freaked and ran blindly!
  Saara: Just because we freaked out doesn’t mean our characters were!
  
  121
  James: Save it. You’re all sitting here comfortably around a kitchen table
  eating my wife’s fresh-baked cake. If you guys panic when I tell you about
  the demon, you’re going to tell me that your characters, actually there and
  watching this happen, are going to keep their cool? No way!
  Paul: Crap. Crap. Crap.
  Anne: This isn’t happening. How did this happen?
  Saara: We’re all going to die.
  James: (smiles broadly) Anyway, Paul…
  Paul: Yes?
  James: You guys run straight into a wall when you realize you can’t see
  anymore. You both stumble, disoriented, so you’re not sure which way
  you came. You hear some rending sounds and what you think is Gorgon
  screaming, but due to the echoey nature of dungeon walls, you’re not sure
  which way you came from.
  Paul: I whisper to Kurtis to grab the back of my shirt and follow me. I
  feel the wall wherever I am and just start going left.
  James: (rolls randomly to see which way he’s going) OK, you go some
  distance and then the passage turns right. After some other distance –
  Paul: How far?
  James: Who knows? Not you, in the dark. Anyway, you come to a dead
  end, but it feels different. It’s made of wood and has a knob. It’s a door.
  Paul: Not much choice. I open the door and go in.
  James: OK. You open the door and stumble inside. (rolls d20, gets 14,
  rolls d8, gets 5) Take five points of damage as something hits you really
  hard.
  
  122
  Paul: Wait, what? What was that? I hit it with my axe!
  James: You don’t know what it is! You can’t see it! But whatever it is,
  it sees you! Initiative! (rolls d6, gets 5)
  Paul: (rolls d6, gets 3 for Templeton, and gets 2 for Kurtis) Uh oh…
  James: (rolls d20, gets 13) That will be enough to hit you. (rolls d6, gets
  6) Six damage from another crushing blow.
  Paul: I’m down! Kurtis only has two points left! Crap! Man… This
  dungeon is unfair!
  James: It’ll teach you not to make sacrifices to evil gods, at any rate.
  That’s it, you’re both dead…
  Paul: But Kurtis…
  James: Has two hit points and is facing an enemy he can’t see and is an
  NPC so I don’t really have to care. Dead, dead, dead.
  Anne: Our turn then…
  James: No, I save you for last. You might actually get out.
  Saara: Oh for crying out loud…
  James: Running further into the evil temple? In panic? You’re going to
  tell me that’s in any way, shape, or form, a good idea?
  Saara: They’d have sanctuary from this thing…!
  James: They’d be better prepared in the first place. And there’s still stuff
  back here.
  Saara: At least we’ve got a light. We can beat you still.
  
  123
  James: Bring it. The passage you run down branches left and right with
  a door in front of you. Which way?
  Saara: How far…
  James: You were running in fear, you don’t know. Which way?
  Saara: Left.
  James: You pass a door, the passage ahead splits left and right. Which
  way?
  Saara: Through the door to hide!
  James: … and this will be automatic surprise since you were running.
  Saara: What?
  James: You found the ape pens.
  Saara: ohh…
  James: There are three chained to the wall, but you two have blundered
  right into them. (rolls randomly to see who each ape attacks) Two on
  Jacques, one on Barrelman. I’ll roll against him first. (rolls d20, gets 12)
  That’ll be enough. (rolls d6, gets 4)
  Saara: DAMN IT. He’s down…
  James: (rolls d20 twice more, gets 15 and 7) I think that’s one hit?
  Saara: Yeah.
  James: (rolls d6, gets 3) Three damage as one of the ape creatures rends
  and tears at you with its claws!
  
  124
  Saara: If I win initiative I can still get out of here! (rolls d6, gets 4) Beat
  that!
  James: (rolls d6, gets 4) Don’t have to.
  Saara: oh… uhh… oh. I’m running.
  James: And I’ll give you a break and say because you’re so small, only
  two of these great big things get a chance to attack you. (rolls d20 twice,
  gets 20 and 16) (begins laughing hysterically)
  (Enrico and Paul join in the laughter)
  Saara: Real funny. Great. Just awesome. (throws her pencil down)
  James: (rolls d6 twice, gets 2 and 6) Eight total. How are you?
  Saara: To exactly zero. (frowning rather unpleasantly) I liked Jacques!
  James: The apes are well-fed tonight!
  (more laughter from Enrico and Paul)
  James: So then. Anne?
  Anne: Huh? What? We escaped. Went out the way we came.
  James: And which way is that?
  Anne: It’s on the map (points to the map).
  James: Saara was making the map, so it’s either in Jacques’ or
  Barrelman’s hands. You don’t have access. Saara, turn it over. The
  passage away from the big room has two doorways on either side and
  ahead the passage splits into a four-way intersection. Anne, which way
  are you going?
  
  125
  Anne: I, uh… Mystaria is really smart! And we just came from this way!
  James: And you are scared out of your mind and running and in a dark
  underground maze with only a little lantern that’s behind you to light your
  way. Which way?
  Anne: We turned from one of these, left, or was it from the left not to the
  left and…
  Enrico: It was –
  James: You’re dead. You don’t exist anymore. So hush up, no helping!
  Enrico: Why I oughta…
  James: Anne?
  Anne: We duck right at the first branch.
  James: The passage goes down a bit, and then dead ends. There are doors
  on either side of the passage at the end though.
  Anne: Oh crap, this isn’t the right way… what’s behind us?
  James: You want to stop and check?
  Anne: No, no. Down the hall into the right door!
  James: OK. You’re in a square room, perhaps twenty feet by twenty feet.
  You hear the sounds of dogs barking through the wall to the right.
  Anne: Through the wall? Hmm. Did we search for secret doors in this
  room? Did we? We’ll search now. Karlsson’s a porter, so he should be
  fairly strong. I tell him to hold the door shut as best he can. Me and
  Lawrence will search for secret doors along the wall where we hear the
  barking.
  
  126
  James: You want to find the dogs?
  Anne: I don’t want to go back out the way we came. I just know you’re
  going to have that demon thing following me just because I’m still alive.
  We’re searching.
  James: (rolls d6s, and disregards the results since he knows there are no
  secret doors in this room) You find nothing.
  Anne: Damn it!
  James: The sound of the dogs fades.
  Anne: OK. Lawrence is going to kill the lamp and then add more oil to
  the lantern so we don’t find ourselves in the dark for our last sprint. He’ll
  have it set up to relight in a jiffy, before he does that of course.
  James: Mmhmm. (checks his notes and some things on his map and
  makes some notes and counts squares on his map)
  Anne: We need to wait a bit. If we’re wandering the halls we’ll be seen
  for sure. This room is bare, right?
  James: Right.
  Anne: So nobody ever comes in here. We’ll wait for about an hour.
  James: Alright. What then? (checks his notes, rolls a few dice)
  Anne: I guess we’re going to go back out into the passage. We’re going
  to take the first right, and then the right after that. I think that’s the way
  out. So… light the lantern, and let’s go!
  James: OK. You pop into the hallway. At the intersection down the hall
  you see a number of cultists, and one of them has two ape things on a
  chain. Seeing you come out the door, they release the chain.
  
  127
  Anne: They were waiting for us?
  James: Yup. They use the apes as trackers.
  Anne: And the dogs I heard?
  James: Can’t tell you that. You might come in here with different
  characters. So you have no more offensive spells, right?
  Anne: Right.
  James: None of you three there have any armor heavier than leather or a
  weapon bigger than a dagger, right?
  Anne: Right. I figured if it came down to us fighting hand to hand, we
  were already sunk.
  James: So do you want to play this out or just fade to black and save the
  gory details?
  Anne: No, that’s it. We’re done.
  Enrico: Total Party Kill. Damn!
  Paul: What happened to the demon? Why didn’t it kill these cultist guys?
  Saara: What killed Templeton and Kurtis?
  James: You know I can’t tell you guys that. Anyway, we’ve been at this
  a long time. How about we wrap this up, and next week you’ll roll up new
  characters and you can come back into this dungeon – and try not to
  summon any demons this time – or go on another adventure?
  Enrico: Screw you, man! I don’t have to go for a couple more hours. How
  about you guys?
  Saara: I’ve still got time.
  
  128
  Paul: Me too.
  Anne: As long as we don’t go too late.
  Enrico: Then we’re making new characters right now and we’re going
  to march back into that place and ram that damn ivory torch right up the
  cult leader’s rear end!
  Anne, Paul, Saara: YEAH!
  
  129
  Glossary
  DEX or Dex A common abbreviation for Dexterity
  Dungeon A generic term for any contained adventuring area, especially
  one where movement, exit, or access to outside resources is restricted, as
  in a maze. Most often, but not necessarily, underground.
  Duration The length of game time a particular effect lasts, usually
  concerning light sources or spells.
  Encounter Any (potential) confrontation between PCs and NPCs or
  monsters.
  Encumbrance A measure of how much equipment a character is carrying
  and how much it slows him down.
  Experience Points A measure for determining a character’s advancement;
  the game’s “score.”
  gp Gold Piece(s), the most valuable unit of money.
  HD Hit Dice
  Hit Dice The measure of how powerful a non-human creature is; also,
  the number of d8s used to determine their Hit Points.
  Hit Points A measure of how much damage a character or creature can
  withstand before dying or being knocked out.
  hp Hit Points
  Initiative The process of determining who acts first in combat.
  INT or Int A common abbreviation for Intelligence.
  Level A- The measure of power of a character, B- The measure of power
  of a spell, C- The relative depth and/or difficulty of areas within a dungeon.
  Mêlée Any hand-to-hand combat, with arms or not. Non-mêlée combat
  is called Ranged combat.
  Morale A score for NPCs representing their bravery in battle, and for
  Retainers their willingness to put themselves in danger on behalf of their
  Patron.
  NPC Non Player Character, any character or creature in the game played
  by the Referee instead of one of the Players.
  Party The Player Characters and any Retainers they have.
  PC Player Character, any character being played by a Player.
  Player All real-life participants in a game who are not the Referee.
  Referee The real-life participant who runs the campaign, presents the
  adventure, and administers the rules.
  Ability Scores The basic characteristics that define a character. They are
  Charisma, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Strength, and Wisdom.
  AC Armor Class, a value that represents how difficult a character is to
  damage in combat, representing a combination of actual armor and ability
  to dodge blows.
  Adventure Any self-contained smaller portion of a larger campaign, or
  alternately, an overall term for the happenings during any particular
  session whether part of a larger campaign or not.
  Alignment Lawful, Chaotic, or Neutral; a description of which (if any)
  cosmic powers claim the character’s allegiance. Generally only used to
  determine the effects of some spells.
  Campaign The sum total of all sessions and adventures within a milieu,
  as well as out-of-game preparation and organization for that milieu done
  by a Referee.
  CHA or Cha A common abbreviation for Charisma.
  Class The basic character type that defines a character’s abilities.
  CON or Con A common abbreviation for Constitution.
  cp Copper Piece(s), the smallest unit of money.
  d# (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, d%) The various dice used, based on how
  many sides those dice have.
  Damage A measure of how effective an attack is. Also, the difference
  between a character’s current and maximum Hit Points.
  Demi-Human Dwarfs, elves, and halflings; the usually friendly human-
  like races.
  
  130
  Retainer Any follower or employee of a character.
  Round Six seconds of time in-game, and the basic division of time during
  combat.
  Saving Throw A roll granted to characters in certain situations to avoid
  or mitigate a negative result
  Segment One-second measures of time within a mêlée round, when a
  character actually acts.
  Session A single gathering of Players and Referee to play the game
  shp Ship Hit Points
  sp Silver Piece(s), more valuable than copper but less valuable than silver
  STR or Str A common abbreviation for Strength
  Turn 10 minutes of in-game time.
  Turn Undead A common Cleric spell that forces the living dead to flee.
  WIS or Wis A common abbreviation for Wisdom.
  XP Experience Points
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Lamentations of the Flame Princess (osr)/Core/LotFP - Grindhouse Edition - Tutorial Book.pdf