Monday, August 12, 2019

#RPGaDay2019 Day 12: Friendship and Gulluvia

Day 12 of #RPGaDay is "Friendship."

I've done a series of odes to my friends and/or former players, and I neither wish to revisit them, nor think up one just for the sake of filling the day.

But with our regular Monday night GM, Jeff, out of commission for awhile, I've been forced to rely on my friends to keep the group going.

And the one game that's been pushed off on the back burner in regards to to Actual Play posts is my BECMI D&D "Adventures in Gulluvia."

Once my regular Tuesday episodes of the Lost Dispatches of Feraso run its course, Gulluvia will take their place, but as episodes seem to multiply, I'll need to push the new material off into 2020.

But that doesn't mean I can't post the Episode Zero here with some interpretive GMing, plus some great improv in between the classic d20 roles, it its entirety......

Nearly six years, I took the very FRPG-Centric "Twenty Questions About My Campaign" and interpreted it for my Call of Cthulhu 1920's campaign.

The post received some recent traffic, so I figured it's the best time to use the format to review my "Adventures of Gulluvia" BECMI D&D game, especially since the actual plays will be posted in the next few weeks.

What's the Deal?
The Barony of Gulluvia is a vast territory shut off from the rest of the Kingdom.  Lady D'hmis rules the barony with her Baronial Guard with an iron fist.  Life is hard but most get by if they follow the Primary Rule of Lady D'hmis:   All men must remain inside from dusk until dawn, unless escorted by an adult (over 16) woman

The story begins in the village of Mere, the one community with a good mixture of halflings and humans.

Where can we go to buy standard equipment?
Rempart's Supplies handles the needs to the village in between the caravan arrivals.  Weapons and metal armor are double cost, while all non-human/non-halfling armor has a 20% chance of appearing at at least 3x the cost.

Where can we go to get the weird stuff I need for this ritual I found in the book?
Outside of old man Loprete and a few skilled grandmothers?  Better hope the right caravan comes through.

Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?
The Hedge Wizard of mystic arcane, Clifford Loprete has trained most of the children with a penchant for learning and a frail physique.  There's nothing to prove he's necessarily a bad teacher, just no positive track record with his pupils.    Of course, there are wive's tales of a powerful wizard controlling the weather around the Thunder Mountains.  Others whisper tales of an evil wizard living there in a massive tower of shiny black stone in the Misty Swamp.

Who is the biggest badass of them all?
Anything that creaks the night.....  Even with the men-travel-at-night-with-women law, the town shutters itself around dusk.  Most villagers consider the all-female Baronial Guard to be bad-asses.

What's the biggest monster to be faced?
Ogres?  Dragons?  Swamp creatures?

Who is the richest person in the land?
Lady D'hmis

Where is safe?
Mere proper is always safe.  As soon as you hit the larger farms, animals and monsters are known to strike, day and night.

Is there a magic guild that I can join in order to get more spells?
Ha!  Be happy Lady D'hmis doesn't care about spellcasters.  Perhaps you should study divinity and gain the favor of High Priest Carathmus in the city of Gulluvia?

Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?
A bigger town, teacher of the mystic arcane, Clifford Loprete, and some grandmothers in the village could whip up a few poultices, potions, and balms.

Where can I hire mercenaries?
Every two-bit militia member claims to be a mercenary.  They require a larger share of treasure than their ability should command.

Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law?
All men must remain inside from dusk until dawn, unless escorted by an adult (over 16) woman

Which way to the nearest tavern?
Elle's Leaping Strong Moon is the famed watering hole, Ye Olde Falling Noble Spoon is reknowned for its weekly Waffle Day.
Getting a good night's sleep before Waffle Day
What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?
Goblins have filled up the nearby mines that the dwarves abandoned years ago.

Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?
The Baronial Guard is spread thin, but easily keeps the peace.

How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?
Maybe a tavern brawl, but you're looking largely at something largely illegal.

Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?
None that any average villagers knows about.

What is there to eat around here?
Ye Olde Falling Noble Spoon.  See Waffle Day!

Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?
None rumored around Mere, but the gemstone mines the dwarves abandoned generations ago could still hold a few more shiny objects.

Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?
The forests and lowlands are pretty well-patrolled, so if there is some sort of massive creature with lots of treasure, it would be in the mountains.


(344/128)

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