In 2013 I ran Red Hand of Doom for Zeno and the kids using Labyrinth Lord. As we’re going to play through Paizo’s Jade Regent adventure path using the same rules (rather, my Halberds and Helmets house rules), I’ll do what I did last time: provide a kind of old school write-up because there are just too many words in these books. If you want more words, or the full names of non-player characters, or if you want to look at the beautiful maps, you’ll need to get the PDFs.
I’d be interested in hearing about other people running Paizo material using different rules. Do you even bother taking notes? I find that I need to take notes just in order to understand what’s important and what’s not. Jotting down stats is then just me preparing for things to go smoother at the table.
Anyway, this is the first book and it has three parts. The first part is goblins and is spread over the first 23 pages, not including some longer monster descriptions in the back. My summary is 3 pages, if you use the PDF button at the bottom. 😄
Sheriff *Belor* promises 10 gp for every goblin ear and 300 gp for the leader of the *Licktoad* tribe, *Chief Gutwad*. They live somewhere in the *Brinestump Marsh*.
Rumors:
1. take the *New Fish Trail* and find the old halfling *Walthus* who calls himself the “warden” of the swamp
2. there is also an *Old Fish Trail* but nobody uses it anymore
3. avoid the *Witch’s Walk* because it’ll lead to the home an old swamp witch called *Old Megus*
4. avoid the *Soggy River Monster*
5. also, *snakes*.
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Following a trail results in a random encounter roll on the way in and on the way out. An encounter happens on a 1 in 6. Don’t forget 2d6 reaction rolls using the reaction bonus of the character doing the scouting or talking. The monsters like to watch and will probably only attack stragglers, the wounded, or the sleeping.
1. 1d6 goblins, HD 1-1 AC 6 1d6 NH (save as normal human) ML 7 MV 6 XP 5
2. giant python, HD 5 AC 6 2d4 F3 ML 8 MV 9 XP 350, once a victim is hit, no more attack rolls are required: just keep constricting
3. soggy river monster, HD 3 AC 8 1d4/1d4/1d6 F3 L 8 MV 12 XP 50
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Poor *Walthus* has been attacked by a doppelgänger. The halfling is hiding in his secret room while the doppelgänger is walking around the house looking like Walthus. He wants the party gone and is super unfriendly but doesn’t attack first. Apparently Walthus had a little snake farm and the doppelgänger really doesn’t like snakes, so that’s another hint that all is not well. Should people raise their voices, Walthus will hear it in his secret room and claim to be the *real* Walthus.
If saved, Walthus can tell them that Old Megus is dead and that the Licktoad goblins have been getting their act together in the last two weeks. Their village is at the end of the Old Fish Trail.
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The *goblin village* is a bunch of huts on stilts connected by walkways behind a palisade but the gate is wide open. There’s a smoldering heap of dead goblins. It appears to be a ghost town until you enter one of the huts. At this point, all hell breaks loose.
The goblins will attack in waves of three goblins each *until 7 are defeated*. They’ll try and slide between your legs and stab you from below (1 in 6 chance of succeeding), climb up a hut and make a jumping attack (1 in 6 chance of succeeding). If they succeed, they’ll deal double damage. If they fail, they’re prone (+4 to attack them until they can get up).
The *remaining 8* run to the chief’s hut and knock frantically but he has locked himself in, waiting it out. If pursued, the goblins outside will flee into the swamp and disappear.
If the chief is forced out of his hut (fire, finding the secret door in the back), he and his **3 bodyguards** will come out and fight. The bodyguards are regular goblins with 7 hp each.
Any surviving goblin questioned will tell the party that they had found a lot more treasure in the boats but skeletons came later that very day and smashed through the village until they had retrieved most of it. The map was drawn by *Scribbleface*, a stupid and dangerous goblin that had taught himself how to read and write. When they kicked him out of their village, he had discovered these shipwrecks and the nearby cave.
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The first ship is the burnt-out *Kaijitsu Star*, empty and looted. The second ship is the *Kaijitsu’s Blossom*. Skeletons will rise from the swampy murk if the ship is touched.
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The cave marked on the map is where the skeleton crew is hiding and guarding its treasure. The main passage is wet and slippery. There is a dry alternative leading to the lair of a giant crab spider. When listening for noise, it can be heard scuttling about as it is currently eating a giant gecko.
A side corridor leads to a pool with a small island and some glittery crystals visible. A transparent, gelatinous cube is waiting beneath the water surface. It can be discovered by poking the water with a pole, for example. The crystals are not worth much: 20 gp.
You reach a large cave where the skeleton crew will rise and defend their skeleton captain sitting on his treasure chest.
The captain only attacks if anybody approaches or when attacked first. If he is slain, all other skeletons will also collapse.
The letter says that the Kaijitsu family treasure is lies within a “warding box” hidden in “the secret third vault” under *Brinewall Castle*, which now lies in ruins. Going there is going to be part two of this this three part adventure.
There are four NPCs that will remain important:
There are **16 days** on the caravan trip north to Brinewall Castle. Roll 1d6 for random encounters once a day: 1 – encounter! 2 – tracks leading to an encounter, victims of an assault, or peasants warning travelers.
1. *Brigands* (1d4×10), HD 1 AC 7 1d6 F1 ML 8 MV 12 XP 10, leather, swords, bows; if at least 20, with a *leader*: HD 2 AC 3 1d6 ML 8 MV 12, plate, sword, lance (2d6 when charging), horse; if at least 40 there are two bands, each with a leader, and one HD 4 *boss* to coordinate the attack.
They belong to a camp with 5d6×10 brigands, possibly with a level 8 *magic-user* and a level 8 *robber knight* leading them. Spells: *arcane eye* (to spy on approaching caravans), *massmorph* (always in effect at their preferred ambush site), *protection from normal missiles* (cast on the boss and the magic-user), *lightning bolt* (to eliminate leaders of the opposition, 8d6, save for half), *invisibility* (to escape), *continual light* (to create a glorious hideout), *phantasmal force* (to make sure victims surrender), *charm person* (to ensure cooperation), *sleep* (against simple guards), *ventriloquism* (to use while invisible).
Treasure: 4000 sp, 8000 gp, 19 gems for 1990 gp, 22 pieces of jewelry for 15350 gp
2. *Goblins* (6d10), HD 1-1 AC 6 1d6 NH ML 7 MV 6 XP 5, at -1 in sunlight, with about 10% of them mounted on *dire wolves*: HD 4+1 AC 6 2d4 F2 ML 8 MV 15 XP 140, spears, slings. They fear horses.
When their morale fails, they flee for their *fort*, and rally behind the palisade. There, you’ll also find their HD 3 *king* with his 2d6 *bodyguards*, each with 2d6 hit-points.
Treasure: none (fresh arrivals)
3. *Ogres* (2d6), HD 4+1 AC 5 1d10 F4 ML 10 MV 9 XP 215. They are looking for humanoid meat! Searching the are will lead to a cave where they are hiding their treasure.
Treasure: 1000 gp
4. *Merchants and their guards* (1d100), HD 1 AC 5 1d6 F1 ML 7 MV 9 XP 10, accompanied by a guard captain, a level 5 *fighter*. All are armed with swords, crossbows, daggers, chain.
Treasure: 3000 sp
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#RPG #Old School