I’m excited to announce a new post series here on the
Digital Orc. In addition to monster stats and a description, I will also run an encounter with a group of adventurers to test the monster in combat. I will assume both the role of monster and all the party members. Think of it as a way to see the monsters in action. These posts will be given various titled under the heading “Miami Dice” for reasons you may soon discover. I will also use the same four characters each time to act as a sort of constant to better make comparisons between monsters.
Who are these poor souls, you ask?
Meet the crash test party: A beautiful cleric, silent elf, brash fighter, and irritating magic user. They are all fifth level with randomly generated attributes created by rolling 3d6 in order. Their equipment, hit points, and spells are also randomly created. I have spoken with them and their lawyers at length. They have signed and notarized the proper wavers and completed their health insurance forms. Two of them completed final will and testaments.
The crash test party members have accepted the daunting task of engaging the various dangerous monsters I create and to follow the rules.
Here are some of the rules:
Rule 1: The dice rule. No fudging.
Rule 2: Individual initiative.
Rule 3: Morale checks used for monsters at onset and after third round if there is one. +1 to morale check if characters have attacked.
Rule 4: All encounters happen in the same map I’ve created below.
Rule 5: No PvP unless controlled by remote forces; all characters are Lawful.
Rule 6: The engagements ends when either all party members are dead/incapacitated or the monsters have successfully fled.
Rule 7: Monsters are randomly placed.
Meet the party!
Gina
A raven-haired beauty, Gina is a compassionate cleric with large dark eyes and flawless pale skin. Beneath the exquisite exterior is a fiery and dedicated force for good evidence by the religious tattoo on her forehead. She is secretly in love with Sonny.
HP: 22, AC: 1
Str: 10, Dex: 12, Con: 12, Int: 10, Wis: 16 (2 save versus magic modifier), Cha: 11
Breath Attacks: 14, Poison or Death: 9, Petrify or Paralyze: 12, Wands: 10, Spell or Spell-Like Devices: 12
Level 1 Spells: Light, Remove Fear, Resist Cold
Level 2 Spells: Silence 15’, Snake Charm
Level 3 Spells: Striking
Equipment: Mace +1, Plate Mail +1, Shield, backpack, blanket, shovel, 1 torch, rations, holy water, silver holy symbol, Scroll of Silence 15’
Sonny
Handsome and intense, Sonny’s quick temper is matched by an unwavering loyalty to his party and the forces of good. At times brash, he often leaps into battle with little thought towards his own safety. Outwardly he berates and insults Izzy, but in truth appreciates the zany wizard. He finds Castillo’s restrained commands irritating at times.
HP: 24, AC: 6
Str: 14, Dex: 13, Con: 10, Int: 14, Wis: 8, Cha: 10
Breath Attacks: 13, Poison or Death: 10, Petrify or Paralyze: 12, Wands: 11, Spell or Spell-Like Devices: 14
Equipment: Spear +1, Leather Armor, Wolfsbane, Crowbar, Rations
Izzy
A talkative oddball, Izzy is a lanky wizard that few can stomach for long periods of time. He means well, but often involves his friends in uncomfortable and unusual situations. Izzy often throws half-hearted attempts of ardor at Gina, who never reciprocates. He will talk continuously with whoever is in earshot.
HP: 10, AC: 7
Str: 11, Dex: 14, Con: 11, Int: 10, Wis: 7, Cha: 12
Breath Attacks: 16, Poison or Death: 13, Petrify or Paralyze: 13, Wands: 13, Spell or Spell-Like Devices: 14
Level 1 Spells: Read Languages, Ventriliquism
Level 2 Spells: Continual Light, Detect Invisible
Level 3 Spells: Haste
Equipment: Dagger, 50’ silk rope, candles, small sack, rations, spell book, paper, ring of protection +1, Polymorph Self potion.
Castillo
As the leader of the group, Castillo keeps a level head at all times. Castillo is taciturn, self-disciplined, thoughtful, and fully dedicated to the protection of the innocent. Castillo’s intensity and silence lead many, incorrectly, to assume he is angry and unbalanced. Beneath the stone-like exterior is a compassionate and empathetic heart.
HP: 17, AC: 1
Str: 10, Dex: 11, Con: 12, Int: 9, Wis: 9, Cha: 11
Breath Attacks: 13, Poison or Death: 10, Petrify or Paralyze: 11, Wands: 11, Spell or Spell-Like Devices: 13
Level 1 Spells: Read Languages, Ventriloquism
Level 2 Spells: Detect Evil, Detect Invisible
Level 3 Spells: Hold Person
Equipment: waterskin, block & tackle, hammer, +1 dagger, plate mail, shield
After descending a narrow stone staircase several stories, you come to a wood door standing open. Inscribed in thick block text on the door are the letters “D.O.” Behind the door a narrow crumbling stone corridor approximately five feet wide, recedes into shadows. A faint damp breeze carries the scent of mildew and stale smoke. The tomb-like breeze raises gooseflesh along your exposed arms and legs. You hear the scuttling of small insects scampering across the uneven dirt floor as you push the door further open and step into the corridor…
Play Report Narrative
Castillo, as the party leader, took the lead down the narrow corridor. The glowing scorpion in the center of a large room was obvious to locate, even in the flickering light from Izzy’s torch. Castillo quickly commanded Izzy to stay behind as the others attacked. The scorpion seemed hesitant, slowly backing into the center of the room as Castillo and Sonny advanced. Castillo missed with his dagger, but Sonny’s speak sunk deep into the scorpion, which emitted a shrill clacking. Gina cast
striking and Izzy caste
haste.
Recovering from its shocking wound, the scorpion counter-attacked, hitting Sonny with its claw and stinger. Sonny fell to the ground writhing in pain as Gina stepped into battle, defending his fallen form. Gina and Castillo continued to attack the scorpion, which eventually fell to a mighty blow of Gina’s mace.
The party quickly huddled around Sonny. They watched in amazement as his skin took on an increasing bright grin glow. Castillo shielded his eyes and backed away. After a couple of turns for bandaging wounds, the party entered a narrow stone corridor to the west, quickly encountering another glowing scorpion. The giant creature backed up uncertainly as Sonny attacked ineffectively with his spear. Apparently angered, the scorpion struck Sonny with three mighty blows. Exhausted and bloodied, Sonny retreated with the party following.
After some thought, Castillo decided to try another corridor hoping to gain better angles of attack. After advancing down the northern corridor the party soon discovered another glowing scorpion. This one, apparently agitated, attacked immediately. Castillo, Gina, and Izzy battled the monstrous scorpion. Each drawing blood time and time again until the beast’s stinger found a gap in Gina’s armor. In a brief scream of pain, she fell to the stone floor her mace falling by her side, never to be held again.
Sonny, who had held back from battle due to his extreme wounds, rushed forward and, in Gina’s final breathes, told her at long last that he too loved her in return. In desperation, he kissed her cold lips for the first and last time.
Angered, Castillo and Izzy, both seriously wounded, continued to fight until Izzy, too, fell to the giant beast. Sonny gathered his wits and stood to Castillo’s side as they both attacked with renewed intensity. A powerful spear strike struck deep into the scorpion’s head and it fell silent.
Sonny returned to Gina’s fallen corpse, straitened her body and removed her silver necklace, wrapping it tightly around his wrist. Castillo tended to Izzy’s twisted corpse.
Both men, bloodied and dedicated, decided to split up and attack the final scorpion. Castillo grabbed Izzy’s torch as it sputtered its dying breath and Sonny quickly lit several of Izzy’s candles.
The man and elf flanked the final scorpion, which, again, seemed hesitant to attack. Castillo’s blows rained down again and again without effect against the glowing carapace. The scorpion whirled around, grabbing Castillo in its mighty claws, and before Sonny could utter a single oath, cut the stoic elf in half with a sharp pinch of its claws.
With a mighty warrior’s yell, sonny drove the spear deep into the scorpion’s side. It jerked away, before counter-attacking with two pincher attacks that decimated the powerful form of Sonny. He dropped to the floor dead.
Reflection: I think I need to give Gina some healing powers. Or maybe give the party a couple of scrolls of healing. Other than that, I think this simulation did what it was designed to; provide a brief and singular account of what battle with glowing scorpions in a dungeon will be like. Man, they’re pretty tough!
Stay tuned for further episodes of Miami Dice!
