Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil (Session #10 – Bandits!)

ToEE AP

• Gaming with Kids: Plans for Spring 2010
• AD&D Temple of Elemental Evil – Session #0 (Character Creation)
• Gaming with Kids: ToEE House Rules
• Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil – Session #1
• Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil (Session #10 – Bandits!)
• Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil (Session #2)
• Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil (Session #3)
• Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil (Session #4)
• Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil (Session #5)
• Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil (Session #6)
• Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil (Session #7)
• Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil (Session #8)
• Gaming with Kids: Moving from 1E to 4E for ToEE
• Gaming with Kids: Temple of Elemental Evil (Session #9 – First 4E session)

When we last left our intrepid heroes they had discovered that someone had taken up residence in one of the ruined towers on the Temple of Elemental Evil’s grounds. This week saw us short two players (if you’ve been keeping up with the sessions, this has been a common occurrence), including Ada whose player had to drop out of our Wednesday games for the rest of the school year due to a scheduling conflict.

Negotiations

Unsure who the group inhabiting the tower were, the party approached them in the open with Enzio attempting to bluff the bandits in to thinking that he and his companions had been sent by Lareth as new recruits for the bandit ring. Enzio managed to pull off the initial lie and managed to lure the bandits’ commander out in to the open; even he was fooled by the silver-tongued bard, instructing the heroes to attack a caravan headed west and bring back their victims heads as proof. That was enough evidence for the heroes, with Enzio signaling them to attack.

The battle was fierce but the heroes worked well together. Olaya’s powers (she’s a druid) were quite impressive in action and Tor and Balder proved to be fierce front line fighters, while Enzio lent a hand in battle as well as bolstering the group’s morale. Although many of the group took a beating, they managed to slay most of the bandits, capturing another, and sending the last few fleeing in to the wilderness.

Interrogation and a deal is struck

While Olaya and Howell searched the bandits’ headquarters, Enzio and Balder interrogated the group’s captive. After some “pressure” the man struck a deal with the group, revealing where the bandits kept their ill-gotten gains and some information about the bandits’ activity. More importantly he revealed that he and his companions knew little about the temple other than that some priests had set up shop inside it and that they paid the bandits to keep an eye out for intruders and drive off anyone nosing around the grounds. Satisfied by the man’s story, the group let him go (even giving him a bow and a couple of arrows) and set to raiding the bandits’ hidden treasure store. Considerably richer, the group then settled down for the evening, deciding to make their first foray in to the temple the next morning.

DM notes & comments

The fight went okay but took some time because everyone was very new to the system and it took them a bit of time to get the hang of the powers, how to announce their attacks (i.e., it’s +7 vs. AC), and what to roll. Building some strategy and tactics may take a bit of time but overall everyone seemed pretty happy with their characters – some of them are much more effective and Enzio in particular is far more “flexible” than he used to be under the AD&D/OSRIC rules.